World number one Jannik Sinner has raised concerns over late-night scheduling at the Madrid Open after advancing into the quarter-finals with a straight-sets win.
According to Beyond Time News, the Italian star suggested that organisers may need to rethink match timings to protect player recovery and performance levels.
Early Start, Strong Performance for Sinner
Sinner played an unusual 11:00 am match on Tuesday, a rare early start on the main Manolo Santana Stadium. Despite the timing, he delivered a solid performance, defeating British player Cameron Norrie 6-2, 7-5.
He won 81% of his first-serve points and maintained strong control throughout the match. As a result, he extended his winning streak at Masters 1000 level to 25 consecutive matches.
Concerns Over Late-Night Matches
However, Sinner highlighted concerns about scheduling after seeing earlier matches finish deep into the night. One match involving Spanish player Rafael Jodar ended around 1:00 am after a long three-set battle.
He explained that such late finishes leave players with very little recovery time. According to him, athletes still need treatment, meals, and rest before the next match, which makes scheduling difficult.
Although he supported giving Jodar a later match time for recovery, Sinner stressed that overall adjustments are needed. In particular, he suggested that starting multiple matches as late as 8:00 pm can push finishes far too late.
Next Challenge Against Rising Spanish Star
Sinner will next face 19-year-old wildcard Rafael Jodar in the quarter-finals. The young Spaniard is enjoying a breakthrough run on home soil.
Earlier in the day, Jodar continued his impressive form with a dominant 7-5, 6-0 win over Vit Kopriva. He has now improved his clay-court record significantly this season and enters the clash full of confidence.
Read more:Sinner extends Shelton stranglehold, books Djokovic showdown in semis
Other Key Results in Madrid
Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Casper Ruud kept his title defence alive after a dramatic comeback win over Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Norwegian saved multiple match points before winning in a tense final set tie-break.
In another match, French rising star Arthur Fils continued his strong season by reaching the quarter-finals with a straight-sets win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry. He will now face Jiri Lehecka, who defeated Lorenzo Musetti.
Women’s Draw Sees Big Upsets and Breakthroughs
In the women’s competition, 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva reached her first Madrid semi-final after defeating Leylah Fernandez in straight sets. She also improved her strong clay-court record this season.
However, there was a major surprise as Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina was knocked out by Anastasia Potapova in a tight three-set battle.
Conclusion
Overall, the Madrid Open continues to deliver high drama on both sides of the draw. While Sinner’s performance keeps him on course for another deep run, his comments have sparked fresh debate about match scheduling and player welfare in modern tennis.
