Sinner reaches Rome semis and sets Masters 1000 winning streak record

ROME: Jannik Sinner moved into the semi-finals of the Italian Open on Thursday after beating Andrey Rublev in straight sets and setting a new mark for consecutive wins in Masters 1000 events.

The world number one won 6-2, 6-4 to register his 32nd straight victory in the ATP’s top-tier tournaments, surpassing the previous record of 31 set by Novak Djokovic in 2011.

“I don’t play for records, I play just for my own story,” said Sinner on court. “At the same time, it means a lot to me, but tomorrow is another day, another opponent, a different opponent.”

Rublev was Sinner’s first seeded rival in this year’s tournament in Rome, but the Italian came through comfortably in front of an enthusiastic centre-court crowd. The Russian lost serve in the opening game of both sets, giving Sinner an early advantage, and finished the match with 28 unforced errors across 18 games.

Sinner showed periods of top-class tennis, although he also appeared to tire late in the contest and was seen touching his left thigh before serving out the match.

Later, Sinner told reporters that the physical demands of recent matches were beginning to show.

“I’m starting to feel that I’ve been playing a lot, so I need to recover as much as possible because tomorrow will be very difficult,” Sinner later told reporters. “However it goes it will be a win for me, if I win great but even if things don’t go well that’s OK because I’ll have a few more days to prepare for Paris which is my main objective this year.”

On Friday, Sinner could meet seventh seed Daniil Medvedev, the 2023 Rome champion, if the Russian gets past lucky loser Martin Landaluce in the first match of the evening session scheduled to begin at 1700GMT.

With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by injury, Sinner is the leading contender for the title and is bidding to become the first Italian in 50 years to win in Rome. The report also noted that a potential career Grand Slam remains in sight for him at the French Open.

Gauff returns to Rome final

In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff reached the Italian Open final for the second year in a row after defeating Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-3.

Gauff has had a difficult clay-court season, having gone out in the last 16 in Madrid after a quarter-final showing in Stuttgart. Against Romania’s Cirstea, who is set to retire at the end of the year, the American produced a composed display and was aided by a much sharper service performance.

The 24-year-old hit only one double fault and landed 79 percent of her first serves, looking assured as she moved into another final in Rome. Gauff was beaten by Jasmine Paolini in last year’s title match and now has another chance to lift the trophy before defending her Roland Garros crown.

She could face Iga Swiatek in the final. Swiatek was due to play Elina Svitolina in the last match of the day on centre court as she sought a first final of the year.

A six-time Grand Slam champion, Swiatek has struggled for rhythm on clay since winning the most recent of her four French Open titles two years ago, but she has rediscovered form in Rome. Since a difficult second-round victory over Caty McNally, she has conceded only seven games in her next three matches.

The report added that Swiatek recently brought in Francisco Roig, the former coach of Rafael Nadal, after a challenging opening stretch to the season.