Jannik Sinner has dominated the Madrid Open without dropping a single set en route to the final. After a rocky start against Benjamin Bonzi, who exploited the Italian’s early struggles on the Manolo Santana court, the world No. 1 mounted a comeback and has since been unstoppable. His semifinal performance left Arthur Fils—despite an impressive clay-court campaign—looking like an amateur, unable to trouble Sinner in any way.
Given Sinner’s form, Rafa Jódar’s quarterfinal effort deserves even more praise, as he was the only player to truly test the Italian during the tournament.
Sinner’s evolution on clay is undeniable. After falling short last year, he has already won Monte Carlo and is now on the verge of claiming Madrid. If he succeeds, he will become the first player in history to win five consecutive Masters 1000 titles. The San Candido native is becoming a more complete player, steadily advancing toward perfection.
One area where he has shown significant improvement this season is his drop shot. He is now confident enough to use it in crucial moments. “It’s a part of my game I’m trying to improve, and I attempt to use them at the right time. Here it’s a bit more difficult because the ball flies a bit more, but at the moment I’m very happy with how I’m executing them,” Sinner admitted.
However, he acknowledged who still reigns supreme in that specific skill. “I’ve also tried to vary my game from the backhand side in important moments, and I’ve been quite efficient so far. It’s part of my tennis where I’m trying to improve; I’m definitely not at Alcaraz’s level yet, but I keep trying. It’s good for my game to find more variety,” he concluded.
Now Sinner faces Alexander Zverev in the final. The German, who has lost to Sinner in recent meetings, is aware of the challenge. “He is the world No. 1 and hasn’t lost a match since early February. I think right now he is without doubt the best player in the world. I have to play very, very good tennis to have a chance. But I know I’m capable of doing that, and I’ll give my best on Sunday,” Zverev said.
