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Jannik Sinner's Italian Open campaign is beginning to feel like more than just another tournament run. In front of a roaring home crowd in Rome, the world No. 1 brushed aside Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals and move closer to a title that Italy has waited decades to celebrate again on the men’s side.
Rublev was expected to offer Jannik Sinner his first major seeded test of the week, but the contest rarely caught fire. Jannik Sinner broke early in both sets, controlled the pace, and handled the windy conditions with far more clarity than the Russian. With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined and Roland Garros approaching fast, Sinner now looks like the player the entire tour is trying to catch.
Jannik Sinner breaks Novak Djokovic's masters record
The win over Rublev gave Jannik Sinner his 32nd consecutive victory at ATP Masters 1000 level, taking him past Novak Djokovic’s previous record of 31 straight wins from 2011. Masters events are the biggest tournaments outside the Grand Slams, so building this kind of streak across different courts, conditions and opponents is a staggering achievement.
Sinner, however, kept his reaction measured. 'I don’t play for records, I play just for my own story,' he said on court. 'At the same time, it means a lot to me, but tomorrow is another day, another opponent, a different opponent.'
That calmness is becoming part of his aura. He is making history, but treating it like something to acknowledge briefly before returning to work.
Rublev struggles as Jannik Sinner controls the match
Rublev never truly settled into the quarter-final. He dropped serve in the opening game of both sets, which against Sinner in this form is almost a self-inflicted wound. The Russian made 28 unforced errors in 18 games and could not put enough consistent pressure on the Italian.
Jannik Sinner was not perfect, and he admitted the conditions made life difficult. 'I felt like we both didn’t play at our best today,' he said. 'The conditions here are very tough. I tried to adapt myself in the best possible way, and obviously I’m happy.'
Even without playing his sharpest tennis, Jannik Sinner produced moments of class. A delicate cross-court drop shot helped him break for a 4-1 lead in the second set, giving the Rome crowd another reason to rise. Rublev did manage a late break, but it only briefly delayed the inevitable.
Rome title chase gets bigger
Jannik Sinner is now two wins away from becoming the first Italian man to win the Rome singles title since Adriano Panatta in 1976. That alone makes this run feel historic. Panatta is expected to present the trophy on Sunday, and if Sinner is the one receiving it, Italian tennis will have its perfect full-circle moment.
Sinner lost last year's Rome final to Carlos Alcaraz, but this time the Spaniard is out with a wrist injury. That makes the Italian the heavy favourite, though the job is not finished yet. His semi-final opponent will be either Daniil Medvedev, the 2023 Rome champion, or lucky loser Martin Landaluce.
With the French Open only days away, Jannik Sinner's timing looks frighteningly good. A career Grand Slam is now part of the conversation, and his Rome form has sent a clear warning to the field. He may say he is only playing his own story, but at the moment, everyone else is being written into it as supporting cast.
Also READ: Novak Djokovic sends worrying French Open signal after shocking defeat in Rome
