On Saturday, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev faced off in the semi-final of the Monte Carlo Masters, in what was their third Masters semi-final in about the space of a month. They had played against each other at Indian Wells and then Miami, and both times Sinner had emerged victorious in dominant style. In fact, both victories extended Sinner’s winning run against the German to seven matches on the trot, dating back to the 2024 Cincinnati Masters semifinals.
Interestingly, those last seven matches had all been played on hardcourts where very few players can match Sinner’s level, so it was hoped that with this match being played on particularly slow clay courts of Monte Carlo, it might in some ways be the leveller that Zverev needed to get one over the impervious Sinner finally. After all, one of his three victories against the Italian had come here back in 2022.
However, if that was the expectation or hope, Sinner wasted no time in dispelling any such beliefs, breaking Zverev twice to race into a 4-0 lead right from the get-go. He eventually wrapped up the first set 6-1, in just over half an hour. For a man who had not gotten much joy out of his opponent in this match as well as in their recent match-ups, to his credit, Zverev brushed the disappointment of the first set aside and started well in the second set, making the match more of a contest.
He kept pace with the Italian remarkably throughout the second set until the 10th game, with Sinner leading 5-4; he needed to hold serve to stay in the match. He got the all-important first point of the game but watched on almost helplessly as Sinner reeled off four straight points to win the game, the set and the match with him, condemning him to his third defeat in as many matches.
One More Match For History
With the victory, the Italian now has it all to play for in the final on Sunday, as a victory guarantees him the #1 spot regardless of whether Alcaraz himself makes the final following his own semi-final match against home hopeful, Valentin Vacherot. An extra piece of glory and the cherry on the cake would be him becoming only the second man to win the Sunshine double and Monte Carlo in the same year, after Novak Djokovic achieved the feat in 2015.
Such a feat will highlight not just his level but his improving fitness as we go deep into the clay season, arguably the most testing period of the season. It has been a remarkable turnaround for the world #2 after what was a poor start to the campaign by his usual standards. He is clearly now the player to beat as the clay season gets fully underway.
For the German, it surely must be a time of deep introspection and reflection, as, once again, despite being the world #3, he finds himself unable to keep pace with the top two, particularly Sinner, whom he has now failed to take even a set off in their last five matches. It further dampens any belief that he can win an elusive Grand Slam title.
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
