Madrid: Five-star Sinner

Winner of the Rolex Paris Masters in 2025 before lifting the trophies in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo, Jannik Sinner became the first player in history to claim five consecutive Masters 1000 titles after triumphing at the Caja Magica.

Sinner: numbers and authority

Irresistible, unstoppable, untouchable… superlatives abound when it comes to describing Jannik Sinner’s current form. The World No.1 has appeared to be on another level for several weeks now, ever since his surprise quarter-final defeat in Doha against Jakub Mensik. Since that setback, Sinner has strung together 23 consecutive victories – all at Masters 1000 level – dropping just two sets along the way (against Tomas Machac in Monte-Carlo and Benjamin Bonzi in Madrid).

In the Spanish capital, he then eased past Elmer Moller, Cameron Norrie, Rafael Jodar, Arthur Fils and Sascha Zverev. Already overpowered by the tour’s dominant force at Paris La Defense Arena, during the Sunshine Swing and in the Principality, the German once again found himself with no answers in a one-sided 57-minute final (6-1, 6-2). Sinner converted 100% of his break points (4/4) and was flawless on serve, winning 93% of points behind his first delivery without facing a single break point.

“I think there's a big gap between Sinner and everybody else right now,” Zverev admitted. “And I think there's a big gap between (Carlos) Alcaraz, myself, maybe Novak (Djokovic), and everybody else. I think there's two gaps right now. It's difficult to say that there's not a gap between Sinner and everybody else if he hasn't lost a match in how many Masters events? Since Shanghai, in almost 9 months.”

The facts naturally support the world No.3’s assessment: regardless of conditions, opponents or surface, the result is always the same, Sinner lifting the trophy.

“Paris is indoor. Then you go to Indian Wells, very bouncy. Miami is very flat. Then you go change surface, you go to Monaco, it's a bit slower. Then you go here, it's very high altitude, and if you serve well, it's a lot to do. But it's tough to say, and I don't want to pick couple of matches,” the Italian analysed after his latest triumph. “There are great players, players we know, [and also players] who seem like they are coming, and they are there already. You never know. Someone like [Rafael] Jodar, six months ago, nobody saw, and he's now here around the names. Maybe this can happen in a couple of months, there is a new player coming. [Alexander] Blockx made semis here, and before he was a little bit undercover. I think great potential players, every one of them. You need to be ready. You need to inform yourself. With every name that's going to come, you need to be very much informed. Of course, my job is always to improve as a player, because at the end of the day the results are only a consequence of how much work you put in. We are working very well, but we need to keep going because if you drop a little bit, people are going to catch very fast. So, I'm very happy to keep working.”

Closing in on the greats?

At this level, the San Candido native had already matched the legends of the sport by claiming four consecutive Masters 1000 titles across two seasons. Now, with a perfect five-from-five streak, he has set a brand-new benchmark and could make it six in a row in Rome, which would also allow him to complete a career Golden Masters by winning every Masters 1000 event on the calendar, a feat previously achieved only by Novak Djokovic.

Not too bad, one might say, although Sinner is adamant about refusing any comparison with the legendary Big 3. “As I always said, I cannot compare myself with Rafa, Roger, Novak,” he explained in press conference. “What they did, it's something incredible. I don't play for these records, or I don't play for records in general. I play for myself. I play for my team, because they know what's behind. Also, my family, because with the success I've had, they also never changed how they are towards me… It means, of course, a lot, great numbers. But there is a lot of discipline, a lot of sacrifice behind this. There are also daily routines that I put in. I'm the first person who needs to be ready in the morning to wake up. I like the journey. I like to put myself in the best possible position to be the best version of myself. I don't play for other records. As I said, what the other players did in the past, and Novak's still doing, it's something incredible. I cannot compare myself with them.”

While time and the final tally of his career achievements will ultimately determine his place in the hierarchy of modern tennis, Jannik Sinner could continue to add to his silverware collection – already boasting 28 trophies – in the coming weeks. Without his great rival Carlos Alcaraz (officially ruled out of Rome and Roland-Garros), the Italian truly appears to be in a league of his own.