Rome, May 14 (IANS) World No.1 Jannik Sinner moved within two victories of winning his first Italian Open title after beating Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 event on Thursday. Last year’s runner-up delivered another strong performance in front of the home crowd, mixing solid baseline play with aggressive shot-making to control the match in the Italian capital.

With the win, Sinner joined Rafael Nadal as the only players to reach the semi-finals at the first five Masters 1000 tournaments of a season. Nadal achieved the feat in 2010 and 2011. Sinner has already won titles this year at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid, and another title in Rome would put him alongside Novak Djokovic as the only men to complete the Career Golden Masters.

“He’s a very dangerous player,” Sinner said of Rublev. “When he plays at his highest level, he’s very tough to beat. I felt like we both didn’t play at our best today, but the conditions are very tough here. So, I tried to adapt myself in the best possible way. I’m obviously very happy. It’s a very special tournament for me.”

Sinner, who lost last year’s Rome final to rival Carlos Alcaraz, now looks in strong form to challenge for the title again in 2026. The Italian extended his winning streak to 27 matches and will next face either former champion Daniil Medvedev or lucky loser Martin Landaluce for a place in the final.

Rublev started competitively and showed flashes of quality, but Sinner stayed in control during the key moments. Although the Italian lost serve for the first time in the tournament after leading 4-1 in the second set, he quickly recovered to seal victory and improve his head-to-head record against Rublev to 8-3.

The win also marked Sinner’s 32nd straight Masters 1000 victory, breaking Djokovic’s previous record of 31 set in 2011. The 24-year-old is now just two wins away from claiming a sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title after winning Paris last season and every Masters event so far in 2026.

“I don’t play for records,” Sinner said. “I play for my own story. At the same time, it means a lot to me. But tomorrow is another day, a different opponent, different conditions… Emotionally, it takes a lot to play here at home. But at the same time, I definitely try to do my best. It was a good day today.”

Sinner is also chasing a historic home triumph in Rome. Adriano Panatta remains the last Italian man to win the tournament, having lifted the trophy in 1976.

After losing to Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals and suffering a quarter-final defeat against Jakub Mensik in Doha earlier this season, Sinner has responded brilliantly. Since starting his winning streak at Indian Wells in March, he has lost only two sets in 27 consecutive victories.

–IANS

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