Great champions are always driven by a need to improve.
On Tuesday, Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarter-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open, notching up his 25th consecutive victory at ATP Masters 1000 tournaments to equal his best outing in the Caja Magica. In one of the few major tournaments missing from his trophy cabinet, the Italian overcame the challenge presented by Cameron Norrie 6-2, 7-5, living up to his billing as favourite for the title in the Spanish capital.
The top seed opened proceedings in the Manolo Santana Stadium, taking to the court in the morning rather than the more usual mid-afternoons slot. However, the change appeared to have no impact whatsoever on the Italian’s match, and he looked intent on progressing through the draw without any hiccups.
“It’s quite unusual for me”, said Sinner. “I can’t remember the last time I played at 11am, but the timing doesn’t matter. I tried to give my best. We try to adapt, both physically and mentally. As for me, I played a good match today”.
The San Candido native is just three matches away from making history in Madrid, where he could become the first player ever to win five consecutive ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. After triumphs in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo, his chance of making history is growing with every shot.
The No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings has now further adapted to the tournament’s conditions, a job he has worked through step by step as the rounds progress. In his third match in Madrid, Sinner hit the ball with growing confidence and has now begun to resemble the player who recently returned to the summit of the ATP Tour. The resilience of Norrie, a player well-suited to clay, provided the perfect test before entering the crucial stages of the competition.
“We know each other quite well. We’ve practised together a lot during recent tournaments, so I knew what to expect”, said Norrie after facing Sinner for the first time. “I think I served very well at key points”.
“This surface is very different from the others, so it’s tricky to get accurate feedback. Sometimes you feel you’re not playing at your best, but from the outside it looks like you are. Other times it’s the opposite. But I’m happy to be back in the quarter-finals”.
Sinner continues to steal the limelight in the Caja Magica, where expectations will be high for the next round. The Italian will play his quarter-final against either the Czech Vit Kopriva or local #NextGenATP star Rafael Jódar, which would be a dream clash for the fans at the Madrid ATP Masters 1000.
Sinner’s determination has allowed him to continue his fine start to the 2026 season. After failing to defend his Australian Open crown, the Italian bounced back with remarkable authority. The disappointment in Melbourne has given way to a string of successes, with titles in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo sending a clear message to the top players in the locker room. In total, 20 consecutive wins have brought him to the heart of the clay swing with bags of confidence.
Jannik is aiming to make a huge impact on the clay swing, where he was seeking total domination a year ago. The Italian was just a point away from lifting the French Open trophy and he reached the final in Rome, where no home player had featured in the final for the previous 47 years. Now, after clinching his first Monte Carlo crown, the world No. 1 is focusing his efforts on conquering Madrid.
Did you know…?
Jannik Sinner has become the second player to win his first 20 ATP Masters 1000 matches of the season, emulating the achievements of Novak Djokovic in 2011 and 2015.
