Jannik Sinner, champion in Madrid
/ Chema Moya
Iker Kind
Jannik Sinner has etched his name in tennis history. The Italian dominated Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-4 in the Mutua Madrid Open final, claiming one of the few titles still missing from his collection. With this victory, he becomes the first player ever to win five consecutive Masters 1000 tournaments—a feat worthy of the world’s number one.
As in their previous encounters, the gap between Sinner and Zverev was immense. The German was absent from the start, offering little resistance. Sinner didn’t even need to produce his best tennis to celebrate victory in under an hour. The final lasted just 57 minutes, a one-sided spectacle that left much to be desired in terms of drama.
Yet this is the reality of modern tennis. The chasm between Sinner (and Alcaraz) and the rest of the field is staggering. From the opening point, Sinner was a whirlwind that Zverev couldn’t handle, returning everything with ease. Mentally, Zverev was defeated within five minutes.
Jannik Sinner during the Mutua Madrid Open final
/ Chema Moya
The German chose to receive first, but Sinner showed no frailty on his serve. If Zverev hoped his opponent would start cold, the very first point was an ace. He needed to match that level of effectiveness to stay in the match and avoid an early break. Yet every rally ended the same way.
To make matters worse, during seemingly comfortable service games, Zverev made inexplicable errors. He strung together two unforgivable mistakes that perfectly reflected his state of mind on the Manolo Santana court: completely lost. He missed two easy volleys near the net, while Sinner stood practically on the towel waiting for them to land in.
Alexander Zverev returns a shot to Jannik Sinner during the men’s singles final of the Mutua Madrid Open at Caja Mágica in Madrid.
/ Chema Moya / EFE
A fightback was expected in the second set, but it never materialized. Sinner stayed solid from the baseline, targeting his opponent’s forehand. Almost effortlessly, he found himself with a break and half the trophy in his hands. The rest was just a matter of time. For the first time in his career, he conquered the Spanish capital—the home turf of his fiercest rival, Carlos Alcaraz.
**Even More of a Number One**
With this triumph, Sinner cements his spot as the world number one, set to reach 14,350 points on Monday. To put that in perspective, it’s triple the points of the third-ranked player, Alexander Zverev himself. With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined, it appears increasingly likely that the Roland Garros crown will become another accessory for Sinner this summer.
Now, the Italian must decide whether to skip the Rome Masters 1000 to arrive in peak form for Paris. Based on his recent comments, that seems the likely choice. Without a doubt, he will be the man to beat in a Grand Slam tailored to his strengths.
