The number one in the world has never yet triumphed in the Caja Mágica. Jannik Sinner, who did not make it past the quarter-finals at the Madrid Open in his three previous appearances, nevertheless came to this edition as the favorite to win one of the two Masters 1000 on May 3 – the other being the one in Rome – that he still has to win at the age of 24. all the spotlights point to the Italian. The one from San Cándido, a robot from the baseline, from where he imposes an infernal ball rhythm, has in the Spanish capital the possibility of becoming the first tennis player in history to raise five miles consecutively after being crowned in 2025 in Paris and doing so this year in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo. He has linked four so far, a record he shares with two giants like Rafa Nadal (2013) and Novak Djokovic (2013-2014, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016).
The Tyrolean is choked this Friday by Benjamin Bonzi, a 29-year-old Frenchman who is ranked 104th in the ranking but today he wants to resist and has come to wage war in the San Fermín neighborhood: he unleashes forehands, he holds on to the court, he dares with the drop shots, the backhand runs against him and he saves a set point and five break points to take the tie-break of the first sleeve. From there, the match becomes hell for the Frenchman, unable to keep up with his rival’s pace. Sinner raises and raises the level and is a crusher who turns the clash around (6-7(6), 6-1 and 6-3, 2h 20m) with astonishing ease to meet the young Dane Elmer Moller in the round of 32 on Sunday.
The presence of the one from San Cándido is the great attraction that the Madrid Masters has these days in the men’s circuit. In addition to the loss of the Murcian, Novak Djokovic, triple champion (2011, 2016 and 2019) at the Manolo Santana but focused on his preparation for Roland Garros, is also absent this year. “It is difficult for the tournament not to have Alcaraz two years in a row, and this year not to have Novak either. We have shared many tournaments since last year. In my mind, in the tournaments, I know that I want to play against Carlos in the final. The road to the final is very long and anything can happen. But at the same time I also go day by day because there are difficult challenges ahead,” Sinner said two days ago.
Last year, the Italian could not compete in Madrid after agreeing with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on a banned steroid during the Indian Wells dispute. The organization considered that there had been no voluntariness and with the agreement Sinner reappeared in May at the Foro Italico, where he lost the title to Alcaraz. The Spaniard also later snatched Roland Garros from him major with five hours and 29 minutes.
Whatever he does in Madrid, Sinner will help him open a gap in the standings with the El Palmar player after Alcaraz’s injury, who this Friday announced that he will not be able to defend his titles either in Rome or at Roland Garros due to the wrist injury he suffered at the Conde de Godó last week, clears the stage for the Italian. “My hope is that [Carlos] “He comes back, he doesn’t have any more injuries, and I think it’s good that he and his team take the time they need,” said the man from San Candido this afternoon at the press conference after the clash against Bonzi.
Jannik’s focus, who has four Grand Slams – Alcaraz has seven – is on Paris, the only major he has left to win. “We’re going to see how I feel in Madrid, but the plan is to play and try to perform in the best possible way. I’m going to take it day by day. In my mind the most important thing is Roland Garros. We’re going to try to arrive in the best possible way,” acknowledged the one from San Cándido at the Caja Mágica. Sinner knows that in the next month and a half he will not face Alcaraz, with whom he has shared all the majors (nine in a row) from 2024, for his great goal in the French capital. They are the two great figures who rule the circuit, the ones who have built a fantastic rivalry after after the golden era of the Big Three: “The first thing to say is that tennis needs Carlos, tennis is much better when he is here, and for me it is also great that he is here.”
