Jannik Sinner is in the semifinals of Monte Carlo for the third time in his career. The second seed defeated Felix-Auger Aliassime in under 90 minutes, strengthening his lead by 5-2 over the Canadian. After the previous round win against Tomas Machac while struggling physically, the question was whether Jannik Sinner could bounce back. However, the dominant performance against Felix-Auger Aliassime offered a powerful, but not yet definitive, answer.
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“Today I played an excellent match, it was an intense game. I knew I had to improve on certain things, even though my serve isn’t yet where I’d like it to be. Yesterday I was very tired and tonight I recovered by resting well. Now head to tomorrow, let’s try to sleep very well and then we’ll see what comes of it,” Sinner stated in the post-match interview.
Even with a 79% success rate on first serve, the Italian was not happy. He almost played a spotless game, with only one break point opportunity received by the sixth seed, which he saved. Tiredness was something that bothered him in the last match as well; however, the short three-set game will help him recover promptly for his semifinal match tomorrow.
The four-time Grand Slam champion is up against third seed Alexander Zverev. This would be their third consecutive semifinal meeting this year. The previous two times, at the Sunshine Double, Sinner swept away both matches in straight sets, but this time could be different.
Overall, the Italian leads the head-to-head by 8-4, but when it comes to clay, it’s tied at 1-1. Clay suits the German more, and coming from a spirited victory against the Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca, Zverev is backing himself to get this victory.
Sinner, who is looking at a small break after Monte Carlo, is not hesitant to give his all in the semifinal to make his place in the last two. A semifinal win will take him to a potential match-up against his arch-rival, Carlos Alcaraz, in the final. Even though Sinner is not focused on gaining the top spot in the world, a title in Monaco would eventually mean him regaining the world No. 1 spot from the Spaniard.
Jannik Sinner in elite company
At 24, Jannik Sinner has achieved so much that half of the tennis players don’t even come close in their entire career. The win against Felix marked his 20th consecutive win in the Masters 1000, a record held only by the legends of the sport.
Out of those 20 wins, 19 have come in straight sets, which shows the dominance of the Italian on the tour. He became the first-ever player to win the Sunshine Double without dropping a set, that is, across the Indian Wells and Miami Open.
Sinner’s 20-match streak places him in rarefied air, fourth on the all-time list behind only the ‘Big 3.’ He now chases Novak Djokovic’s record of 31 consecutive Masters wins (2011), Roger Federer’s 29 (2005-06), and Rafael Nadal’s 22 (2013).
20 - Jannik Sinner is the fourth since the format's introduction in 1990 to claim 20+ consecutive ATP Masters 1000 match wins after the Big-3. Big-4? #MonteCarloMasters | @ROLEXMCMASTERS @atptour
The Serbian registered his streak in the 2011 season, which started in Indian Wells and ended at the Cincinnati Open final with an injury against Andy Murray. He even holds the record of the second-longest streak, which lasted for 30 wins. This was registered in the 2014-15 season, which again came to an end against Murray at the Canadian Open. Both times, he secured five titles, including the Sunshine Double.
Following him is the 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer. His streak was worth 29 wins, which came in the 2005-06 season. The journey started in Hamburg and saw five titles, ironically coming to an end at the Monte Carlo. This was a time when the finals were played in the best-of-five format, and the Swiss lost to his greatest rival, Rafael Nadal, in four sets.
The 14-time Roland Garros champion’s streak came in the 2013 season. His stretch started at his home in Madrid and ended in Shanghai. During this phase, he even became the first player to win the “Summer Slam,” which is winning Canada, Cincinnati, and the US Open in the same year.
Sinner joining this elite list is a privilege, and having chances to overtake some of the legends is an achievement in itself. The Italian has completed the hard-court Masters leg; however, he is still seeking his first title on clay, which raises the stakes for his Monte Carlo campaign. Will he be able to continue his streak and win the first clay court Masters of his career at the Monte Carlo? Let us know in the comments.
