Jannik Sinner, the world no. 1, etched his name into tennis history on Sunday, capturing the Madrid Open title and, in doing so, achieving a feat even the legendary ‘Big Three’, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, never accomplished.
The 24-year-old Italian secured his fifth consecutive ATP 1000 title, marking an unprecedented streak in men’s tennis.
Sinner’s dominance at the Madrid Open culminated in a swift victory over Alexander Zverev in the final. He defeated Zverev 6-1, 6-2 in a match that lasted just 58 minutes. Sinner set the tone early, racing to a 5-0 lead over Zverev in a mere 17 minutes, showcasing the form that has defined his recent ascent.
Sinner’s historic streak and upcoming milestones
The Madrid Open title extends Sinner’s remarkable ATP 1000 winning streak to 28 consecutive matches.
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This historic run places him on the cusp of another significant record held by Novak Djokovic, who achieved 31 consecutive ATP 1000 wins in 2011.
If Sinner claims the Italian Open title, he would not only win his sixth straight ATP 1000 event but also surpass Djokovic’s record.
Beyond the winning streak, the Italian Open presents Sinner with the opportunity to achieve the “Career Golden Masters”, capturing all nine ATP 1000 titles in his career.
Djokovic is currently the only player to have accomplished this prestigious feat, doing so twice. Sinner’s relentless dedication, he noted in an interview with Madrid Express, cited by SI, is key to his success.
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“I think there is a lot of work behind it. A lot of dedication and sacrifice I put in every day,” Sinner stated regarding his five ATP 1000 titles. “I’m very happy that I’ve continued to believe in myself. I’m showing up every day, at every practice session, trying to put in the right work with the right discipline. To do so, you need to have the right team behind you, which I have. I’m very happy about me, but also the team, and this means a lot to all of us.”
Grand Slam ambitions and Alcaraz’s absence
Looking ahead, Sinner has his sights set on a career grand slam, with the Roland Garros (French Open) title being the only major he has yet to win. Should he triumph at the French Open next month, Sinner would become just the 10th men’s player to achieve a career grand slam at the age of 24.
The path to the French Open title may be eased by the absence of rival Carlos Alcaraz, who completed his career grand slam in February at the Australian Open but will miss the French Open due to a wrist injury.
Alcaraz has been sidelined from recent tournaments since his loss to Sinner in the Monte-Carlo Finals last month.
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During his runner-up speech, Alexander Zverev lauded Sinner’s current form, stating, “I think there’s a big gap between Sinner and everybody else right now.” Zverev further claimed Sinner “hasn’t lost a match in how many Masters events? Since Shanghai.”
While Sinner did lose in the Doha Open in February and the Australian Open semifinals in January, his last defeat in an ATP 1000 event was indeed in Shanghai last October, underscoring his remarkable consistency at this level, as reported by The Tennis Letter.
Sources: www.si.com
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