New Delhi, April 21 (IANS) Italian star Jannik Sinner has made it clear that the Madrid Open is an important part of his clay-court season, but his main focus is on performing well at Roland Garros as he aims for a career Grand Slam.

The world number one arrives in Madrid after a significant breakthrough on clay. He recently defeated Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to win the Monte Carlo Masters. However, Sinner admitted that he hasn’t had the best results in the Spanish capital.

“I never played very well here, so let’s see how it goes this year,” Sinner said ahead of the tournament. “I’m trying to improve as a player, and this might be one of the toughest challenges because of certain factors like altitude and wind.”

Even though he is one of the favourites and is aiming for a fifth consecutive Masters title, Sinner emphasized that his larger goal is in Paris. “The most important is Roland Garros,” he said. “We try to be in the best shape possible there, but I’m here to do my best, and then we’ll see how it goes.”

Sinner’s motivation is heightened by last year’s disappointment at Roland Garros, where he lost a dramatic final to Alcaraz despite having three championship points. The 24-year-old has another chance to complete his Grand Slam collection, as the French Open is the only major title he still needs.

The Madrid Open will miss two of tennis’s biggest stars, with Alcaraz out due to a wrist injury and Novak Djokovic also absent. Sinner acknowledged that their absence creates a void.

“It’s a very big pity not to have Alcaraz here and also Novak, the two biggest stars in tennis,” he said. “We have shared many tournaments since last year, but in my mind, I also know that if I want to play against Carlos, it’s in the final, and the path to the final is very long.”

Top seed Sinner will start his Madrid campaign in the second round against an opponent yet to be determined. He views the tournament as an essential step in refining his game before the clay-court showcase in Paris.

–IANS

hs/bsk/