On Thursday, Jannik Sinner squared off against Andrey Rublev in a match in which both players were looking to reach their 50th career Tour-level semifinal. In addition to these shared conquests, both players also had individual side quests, depending on who prevailed. Rublev was hoping to join an illustrious list, becoming only the seventh player to reach the semifinals of all nine Masters tournaments. While the increasingly impervious Sinner was looking to break Novak Djokovic’s record of becoming the player with the most consecutive Masters 1000 wins. With both players chasing more than a spot in the semifinals, the stage was set nicely.
It was the Italian, though, who drew first blood in the very first game of the match with an early break, and despite Rublev creating two break-back points in the fourth game, Sinner held firm. Sinner fashioned another break in the seventh game, and following another service game, the set was concluded as soon as it had started.
The second set started in much the same theme as the first, as Sinner broke in the very first game, to get the set up and running again. A second break in the fifth seemed to cast the die, but Rublev rallied to break back immediately. It was the first break of serve the world No. 1 had suffered in Rome. However, it only proved to be a stay on execution as Sinner, despite some late physical issues, held on to seal the win and, in the process, notched 32 consecutive match wins at the Masters level.
For a match that started with both players chasing statistical glory, in the end, as anticipated, Jannik Sinner made history, denying the Russian his in the process. Rublev can still be proud of his exploits in Rome. Despite losing rather tamely, he now finds himself knocking on the door of the Top 10. A similar outing in Roland Garros will almost certainly propel him to where he’d feel he belongs.
As for Sinner, it has marked a truly spectacular past few weeks for the World No.1, who seems to be breaking every record at a canter. In Madrid, he became the only player to win five consecutive Masters events, surpassing two of the greats in Rafael Nadal and Djokovic. He now has a chance to go even one better here in Rome if he can clinch what will be his sixth consecutive Masters 1000 triumph.
The talking point now switches to how the task for the rest of the Tour now looks daunting, with what’s left here in Rome and Roland Garros yet to come. It’s incredible to think that the Italian has now reached the semifinals of Rome, having lost only two sets since Indian Wells. Worryingly for the rest of the Tour, it seems he has no one capable of challenging him. It now seems that, with the unfortunate exception of an injury, the Italian holds the pen and is going to script the next few weeks on Tour as he wishes.
The sport looks set to witness one of the most dominant periods by a single player in its history, and the players have front-row seats.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
