Italian Open: Jannik Sinner reacts as he breaks Novak Djokovic’s Masters 1000 win streak record

Ewan West 14 May 2026 1:52 PM

Jannik Sinner celebrates

Jannik Sinner defeated Andrey Rublev to reach the semi-finals in Rome, and he has broken a Novak Djokovic record that had stood for almost 15 years.

World No 1 Sinner downed 12th seed Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 in an hour and 31 minutes in the quarter-finals at the 2026 Italian Open on Thursday.

The four-time Grand Slam champion lost serve for the first time in the tournament in the sixth game of the second set, but he broke Rublev three times during a convincing win.

The 24-year-old appeared to be in physical discomfort in the latter stages of the second set, but he held firm and survived the injury scare.

Sinner has extended his Masters 1000 win streak to 32 matches, which has seen him move clear of Djokovic for the most consecutive victories at this level of tournament.

Longest ATP Masters 1000 win streaks

Jannik Sinner – 32* wins (Active – started at 2025 Paris Masters)
Novak Djokovic – 31 wins (2011 Indian Wells – 2011 Cincinnati)
Novak Djokovic – 30 wins (2014 Paris – 2015 Montreal)
Roger Federer – 29 wins (2005 Hamburg – 2006 Monte Carlo)

The Italian is chasing his sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title after triumphing in Madrid, Monte Carlo, Miami, Indian Wells and Paris.

Sinner is aiming to win his maiden Italian Open crown, which would see him complete the set of all nine Masters events.

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In his on-court interview with Tennis TV, Sinner said: “I felt like it was a bit breezy, a bit windy, so it was very tough conditions.

“But he’s a very dangerous player; when he plays at his highest level, it’s very tough to beat.

“I felt like we both didn’t play at our best today, but at the same time, the conditions here are very tough, so I tried to adapt myself in the best possible way. And obviously I’m happy; it is a special tournament for me.

“Now I try to recover physically for tomorrow as much as I can, and then we’ll see what’s coming.”

On breaking Djokovic’s Masters 1000 record, Sinner said: “You know, it’s tough to say because I don’t play for records, I play just for my own story.

“Obviously, at the same time, it means a lot to me. But tomorrow is another day, another opponent. We’re going to play in different conditions; it’s going to be night match.

“So let’s see. But now for me, the highest priority is trying to recover as much as I can physically, and then we’ll see how it goes. At the same time, also emotionally, it takes a lot, playing here at home.

“But I definitely try to do my best. It is a win-win situation for me in any case. It was a good day today.”