Jannik Sinner tops Alexander Bublik in 81 minutes at US Open

By the time this formality of a match wrapped up, Alexander Bublik looked sort of bemused by the whole situation.

The crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium spent the third set cheering for Bublik and against inevitability, with the Kazakh not quite knowing whether to bask in it or wallow.

It mattered little in the end, as No. 1 Jannik Sinner dispatched Bublik in straight sets, needing just an hour and 21 minutes to complete a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 Round of 16 victory that was every bit as easy as the scoreline implies.

The Italian’s ball-striking was superb, he handled Bublik’s serve — which had undone Tommy Paul two nights prior — with ease, breaking him eight times while holding his own serve perfectly.

He hit 24 winners, forced Bublik into mistake after mistake and marched through three sets without ever looking the slightest bit troubled.

And, needless to say, he looked anything but ill.

“[Bublik] had a very tough match the last match, playing five sets, finishing very late,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “Today he didn’t serve as good as he usually serves.

“… Overall, I’m very, very happy. The first time this year I can play a night match here [in New York] and it makes so, so big a difference.”

Sinner, who is looking to become the first back-to-back winner at the Open since Roger Federer took five in a row from 2004-08, will face countryman Lorenzo Musetti in the quarters.

Musetti took out Spaniard Jaume Munar in straight sets Monday.

“Lorenzo is maybe one of the biggest talents we have in our sport so I’m looking forward to this one,” Sinner said. “It’s great to have for sure one Italian in the semis.”

In addition to a second straight Open, winning here would also give Sinner three of four Grand Slam titles this year, having won in Australia and at Wimbledon.

At least so far, he’s hardly been troubled, having dropped just one of 13 sets he’s played so far in the tournament.

A year ago, Sinner’s march to the title came with the backdrop of controversy.

Now he is sweeping through with an air of inevitability.