Italian Jannik Sinner (Photo AP)
Jannik Sinner continued his relentless rise on Thursday as he beat Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Italian Open semi-finals and break the long-standing record previously held by Novak Djokovic.The world number one’s latest straight win in Rome marked his 32nd consecutive ATP Masters 1000 victory, surpassing Djokovic’s record of 31 sets during his dominant 2011 season. It is the latest sign that Sinner has become the man to beat at a clay-court major on tour.The record falls when the Sinner powers upSinner barely looked troubled against Rublev, who became his first seeded opponent in the tournament. The Italian broke serve in the opening game of both sets and never allowed the Russian to equalize.Rublev struggled with the windy conditions at the Foro Italico and committed 28 unforced errors, while Sinner showed his typical composure under pressure. One superb cross court shot in the second set underlined his control as he reached the last four.“I’m not playing for records, I’m just playing for my own story,” Sinner said after the game. “At the same time, it means a lot to me, but tomorrow is another day, another opponent.”The 24-year-old also admitted that the conditions were ideal. “I felt that we both didn’t play our best today, but the conditions here are very tough. I tried to adapt as best I could.”The Roman title is now within reachWith Carlos Alcaraz sidelined through injury, Sinner became the overwhelming favorite to win the Roman crown, becoming the first Italian in five decades to lift the title.He is expected to face Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals if the 2023 champion overcomes Martin Landaluce.The race only raised expectations ahead of the French Open, where Sinner could fight for his first Roland Garros title and close in on a career Grand Slam.
