Rome — Jannik Sinner has etched his name in tennis history after reaching the semi-finals of the Italian Open, setting a new record for consecutive wins in Masters 1000 tournaments.
A dominant 6-2, 6-4 victory over Andrey Rublev moved Sinner to 32 straight wins in ATP Masters events — surpassing the previous record of 31 held by Novak Djokovic since 2011.
“I don’t play for records, I play just for my own story,” Sinner said on court. “At the same time, it means a lot to me, but tomorrow is another day, another opponent.”
Ruthless on Court
Rublev, Sinner’s first seeded opponent in Rome this year, offered little resistance. The Russian dropped serve in the opening game of both sets and committed 28 unforced errors in just 18 games.
Sinner, however, was not without his concerns. He was seen touching his left thigh late in the match and later admitted fatigue was setting in.
“I’m starting to feel that I’ve been playing a lot, so I need to recover as much as possible,” he told reporters, adding that the French Open remains his primary objective this year.
Road Ahead
According to Beyond Time News, Sinner could face Daniil Medvedev — the 2023 Rome champion — in the semi-finals. With rival Carlos Alcaraz sidelined through injury, Sinner is the heavy favourite to become the first Italian to win the Rome title in five decades, with a potential career Grand Slam at Roland Garros on the horizon.
Gauff Reaches Final
Coco Gauff continued her impressive run in Rome, beating veteran Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-3 to reach the final for the second consecutive year.
After a difficult clay season — including a last-16 exit in Madrid — Gauff looked composed and confident, making just one double fault and landing 79% of first serves. She now faces a potential title clash with Iga Swiatek, who is bidding to reach her first final of the year against Elina Svitolina.
Swiatek Back to Her Best
Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek has rediscovered her best form in Rome, dropping just seven games across three matches after a difficult start to the clay season. She recently brought on board Francisco Roig — former coach of clay-court legend Rafael Nadal — as part of a coaching shake-up following a tough few months.
