Game recognizes game. Days before Jannik Sinner took on Casper Ruud in the Italian Open final on Sunday, the world No. 1 broke Novak Djokovic’s prestigious Masters record. As the milestone sent shockwaves through the tennis world, fans couldn’t help but look back at the Serbian great’s past praise and respect for Sinner’s rapid ascent.
Sinner’s commanding win against Andrey Rublev in the Italian Open quarter-finals officially marked his 32nd consecutive victory at Masters 1000 tournaments surpassing Djokovic to claim the longest winning streak in the category’s history.
The 24-year-old Italian extended that streak even further with a grueling semi-final victory over Daniil Medvedev, ultimately sealing his historic run by defeating Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the final to push his Masters streak to an astonishing 34 matches. Despite the massive achievement, Sinner remained grounded, downplaying the statistical milestone in favor of personal growth. “I don’t play for records. I play just for my own story. And obviously, at the same time, it means a lot to me,” Sinner remarked.
Ending a 50-Year Italian Drought
Beyond the record streak, the victory carried immense emotional weight as Sinner became the first Italian man in exactly 50 years to win the Italian Open title. No local male player had lifted the iconic Rome trophy since Adriano Panatta’s legendary triumph back in 1976. Adding to the poetry of the moment, tournament organizers invited Panatta himself to be present courtside and witness the historic changing of the guard. “It’s a special tournament for me,” Sinner expressed, deeply moved by the thunderous backing of the home crowd at the Foro Italico.
With this triumph, Sinner also completed his career Golden Masters a sweep of all nine active ATP Masters 1000 events becoming only the second man in tennis history to do so after Novak Djokovic. While Djokovic achieved his first career sweep at age 31, Sinner has remarkably checked it off at just 24 years old. He also joins Rafael Nadal as the only men to win all three clay-court Masters titles (Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome) in a single season.
Djokovic’s Mutual Respect and Past Praise
As fans celebrated Sinner’s historic run, social media quickly recirculated Djokovic’s past messages of respect for the young champion. Following a battle at Wimbledon, Djokovic had taken to X (formerly Twitter) to share his admiration: “I want to congratulate Jannik on a great performance.👏 It’s been very special being back at SW19, sharing the buzz and having my family with me.”
That wasn’t an isolated show of sportsmanship either. Following a tight exit at the French Open, the legendary Serb made sure to give credit where it was due, tweeting: “Paris, you have my gratitude. Thank you for your incredible support in a place that is very special to me 🇫🇷… Bravo to Jannik. Merci to @rolandgarros. À bientôt.”
A Grueling Rain-Delayed Path to the Crown
Sinner’s road to the final was anything but straightforward, requiring an immense mental effort during a chaotic, rain-disrupted semi-final against Daniil Medvedev. The world No. 1 looked to be in total command early on, cruising through the opening set 6-2 with relentless baseline depth and immaculate serving. However, Medvedev mounted a fierce counter-attack in the second set, breaking Sinner in the 12th game to take it 7-5 and force a deciding third set before torrential downpours forced officials to suspend play overnight.
Returning to Campo Centrale the following day, Sinner faced an uphill psychological battle to reclaim his momentum. Though Medvedev fought valiantly and saved two match points, the Italian stayed composed under pressure, sealing a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory to earn his spot in Sunday’s final. Sinner later admitted that the overnight suspension tested his mental fortitude unlike typical match delays. “It was a very different challenge and a tough challenge. Usually, during the night, I don’t struggle to sleep but this time it was not easy,” Sinner confessed. “You are in the third set, nearly done but you still have to show up again and you never know what is happening. I am very happy with how I handled this situation.”