Jannik Sinner stands just two victories away from etching his name into Italian tennis history as he aims to become the first home man to clinch the Italian Open title in half a century.
His dominant form suggests he is a formidable force, not only in Rome but also heading into the French Open, which begins in 10 days.
The top-ranked Italian secured his place in the semi-finals on Thursday with a commanding 6-2, 6-4 triumph over world No 14 Andrey Rublev. This victory also saw Sinner surpass Novak Djokovic’s record, achieving his 32nd consecutive win in Masters 1000 events – the most prestigious tournaments outside of the Grand Slams.
“I don’t play for records. I play just for my own story. And obviously at the same time it means a lot to me,” Sinner stated after his win.
The last Italian man to lift the singles trophy on the red clay of the Foro Italico was Adriano Panatta in 1976. Panatta himself is set to present this year’s title to the champion on Sunday, with Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella also expected to attend the final.
“It’s a special tournament for me,” Sinner added, acknowledging the significance of the home event.
The 10,500-seat Campo Centrale was a sea of orange, Sinner’s signature colour, as nearly every spectator cheered him on. One group of fans held a sign proclaiming, “Sinner, Facce Sogna” – “Sinner, Make us dream.”
Last year, Sinner was defeated in the Rome final by Carlos Alcaraz, who is currently sidelined with a right wrist injury, while Jasmine Paolini became the first Italian woman to raise the trophy in 40 years.
Sinner broke serve in the opening game against Rublev, marking the third consecutive match he has done so, and maintained control throughout. Despite a brief lapse when Rublev broke him late in the second set, Sinner quickly regained his composure.
“It was a bit breezy, a bit windy, so it was very tough conditions,” Sinner commented. “I felt we both didn’t play at our best today.”
Sinner’s remarkable run in Masters events remains unbroken since he retired with cramps in extreme heat against Tallon Griekspoor in Shanghai last October. His overall winning streak across all tournaments now stands at 27 matches, having last been beaten by Jakub Mensik in the Qatar Open quarter-finals on 19 February. He has not dropped a set since his opening match at the Madrid Open.
The Italian is also aiming to become only the second man, after Djokovic, to triumph at all nine Masters events. Djokovic has won each event at least twice, and the Italian Open is the sole Masters title Sinner has yet to claim.
His semi-final opponent will be either the 2023 Rome champion Daniil Medvedev or Spanish qualifier Martina Landaluce, who were scheduled to play later.
In the women’s semi-finals, Coco Gauff is set to face Sorana Cirstea, while Iga Swiatek will play Elina Svitolina.