Rome, May 15: World number one Jannik Sinner secured his place in the semifinals of the Italian Open on Thursday, defeating Andrey Rublev with a score of 6-2, 6-4. This victory brings Sinner just two wins away from claiming his first Italian Open title.
Last year’s runner-up, Sinner joins an elite group of players, including Rafael Nadal, who have reached the semifinals of all five Masters 1000 tournaments in a single season. Nadal achieved this feat in 2010 and 2011.
This year, Sinner has already won titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid. A win in Rome would place him alongside Novak Djokovic in the exclusive club of players who have completed the ‘Career Golden Masters.’
Sinner lost to Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final but appears to be in strong form as he aims for the title in 2026. The Italian has extended his winning streak to 27 matches. His next challenge for a spot in the final will be against either former champion Daniil Medvedev or ‘lucky loser’ Martin Landaluce.
Rublev started the match with intensity, but Sinner maintained control during crucial moments. Despite taking a 4-1 lead in the second set and losing his serve for the first time in the tournament, Sinner quickly regrouped to secure the victory, improving his head-to-head record against Rublev to 8-3.
With this win, Sinner has recorded his 32nd consecutive victory in Masters 1000 events, breaking the previous record of 31 set by Djokovic in 2011. The 24-year-old is just two steps away from winning his sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title, having claimed the Paris title last season and winning all Masters events in 2026 so far.
Sinner is also in the running for a historic victory at home in Rome. The last Italian man to win this tournament was Adriano Panatta, who lifted the trophy in 1976.
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