Jannik Sinner is just one victory away from setting yet another record in men’s tennis, after matching Novak Djokovic’s mark of 31 consecutive wins at ATP Masters 1000 events.
The world No. 1 cruised past fellow Italian Andrea Pellegrino 6-2, 6-3 in the fourth round of the Italian Open on Tuesday. Sinner has not lost at this level — the tier just below the Grand Slams — since retiring due to severe leg cramps against Tallon Griekspoor at the Shanghai Masters last October. Since then, he has won a record five straight ATP Masters 1000 titles. If he goes on to claim the Italian Open crown on Sunday, Sinner would become the first player to win all nine Masters 1000 tournaments at age 24.
Djokovic, the only other man to achieve the 31-win streak, did so at 31. At the upcoming French Open, which begins May 24, Sinner will have the chance to complete a career Grand Slam by winning all four major titles.
Given Sinner’s near-invincibility this year, the odds were heavily against his opponent, ranked 155th in the world. Pellegrino, a 28-year-old veteran, fought hard early, forcing a break point when trailing 3-0. But Sinner quickly overwhelmed him, winning the first set in just 28 minutes. The crowd at Foro Italico roared when Pellegrino finally held serve to make it 4-1, but a quarter of an hour later, he was down a set, unable to handle the world No. 1’s relentless pressure.
Pellegrino responded more aggressively in the second set, increasing his attacking play from 13% of points in the first set to 25%, according to data from Courtside Advantage. Sinner’s attacking percentage dropped to 23% in the second set. Pellegrino should have earned break points for a 4-2 lead but missed a forehand, then was broken himself. Sinner won the next two games to seal the match, never facing a break point — in fact, he has faced just one break point in his last five matches.
This comfortable victory was a fitting way for Sinner to equal Djokovic’s record, given how dominant most of those 31 wins have been. In the quarterfinals, Sinner will face either Russian 12th seed Andrey Rublev or Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili. With every match he plays, Sinner enters as the overwhelming favorite.
His focus now shifts to winning his first title in Rome, before turning attention to Roland Garros, which begins on Sunday, May 24.
