ROME/WASHINGTON, May 14, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
Everything seemed to go Jannik Sinner‘s way during his quarterfinal match against Andrey Rublev at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome Thursday afternoon. From first ball to last ball – and pretty much every other ball in between.
First, Sinner hit an authoritative forehand winner that capped a 26-shot skirmish and broke Rublev’s serve in the very opening game of the match. Then, he consolidated the break at love with another solid winner. Later, Sinner saved a pair of break points that enabled him to work his way out of trouble during his second service game of the match. Finally, he gained a double-break lead after winning four-straight return points.
Sinner wasted little time or effort in gaining the upper hand against Rublev during the opening set. Soon, he would be making history by the end of the second set.
Sinner’s quarterfinal in 24 seconds 🔛#IBI26 pic.twitter.com/W4xxZfxQJV
— Internazionali BNL d’Italia (@InteBNLdItalia) May 14, 2026
Looking back, it was a benchmark kind of day for the South Tyrolean. He played exceptionally good tennis and also put on an enjoyable – at times brilliant – performance for the home country fans, many who waved Italian Il Tricolore flags and held up colorful signs saying Forza Sinner!
By the end of the 91-minute match, won by Sinner 6-2, 6-4, in front of a capacity crowd that filled Campo Centrale on a sunny, breezy afternoon, the World No. 1 and top-seeded Sinner had won his 27th-consecutive match this season and set a record for longest ATP Masters 1000 winning streak in series history (dating back to 1990) with 32, breaking the old record of 31 set by Novak Djokovic in 2011.
Sinner also joined Rafael Nadal (2010-11) as the only men to reach the semifinals at all first five ATP Masters 1000 events in a season – and the second Italian man to reach multiple semifinals at Foro Italico in the Open Era (since 1968) after Adriano Panatta (1976 and 1978).
Additionally, Sinner improved his 2026 win-loss record to 34-2 and it was his eighth victory over the World No. 14 Rublev in 11 meetings – third in a row – and he advanced to his sixth consecutive ATP Masters 1000 semifinal. Rublev fell to 18-10 with his loss to Sinner.
Record-breaker 🌟@janniksin | #IBI26 | @atptour pic.twitter.com/o9M2zwHw9p
— Internazionali BNL d’Italia (@InteBNLdItalia) May 14, 2026
There wasn’t much that the No. 12 seed Rublev could do to turn the tide against Sinner. He wasn’t able to convert a pair of break points in the first set, and started both sets off by being broken in the first game. Rublev also committed 28 unforced errors to go along with 18 forced errors. Sure, he became the first player to break Sinner’s serve all week, during the sixth game of the second set. But it was far too little, too late.
“He’s a very dangerous player,” Sinner said during his on-court interview with ATP Media, describing 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.”
Against Rublev, Sinner hit 19 winners against 18 unforced errors, won 50 percent (16 of 32) of his first-serve points, saved two of three break points and broke Rublev’s serve four times in five opportunities. He outpointed the Russian No. 2 66-50.
Sinner improved to 10-0 in ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinals since losing to Rublev at Montreal in 2024 and is safely through to his 18th ATP Masters 1000 semifinal – and second one in Rome after last year. He’s two wins away from becoming the second man to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 titles after Djokovic. The Serbian great was 31 when he achieved the feat. Sinner could achieve the remarkable feat at just 24.
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“I don’t play for records, I play for my own story,” Sinner said. “At the same time, it means a lot for me. But tomorrow is another day, a different opponent, different conditions. … Emotionally, it takes a lot playing here at home. But at the same time, I definitely try to do my best. It was a good day today.”
Later, during the English-language portion of his post-match news conference, Sinner was asked to elaborate on his “I play for my own story” comment.
Sinner replied: “I would have never imagined to stand here as the player what I’m right now. Back in the days when I was younger, I never thought I would arrive to such a high level of tennis.
“Now, I’m here. The perspective is obviously different. Mostly people think that I was fair play and a good person. This goes for me much more on top of everything. Underneath there is the level what I have produced hopefully for the rest of my career. I’m very, very solid player.
“That’s it, no?”
On Friday, Sinner will play either World No. 9 and seventh seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia, who won the 2023 Rome title, or 94th-ranked lucky loser Martin Landaluce of Spain. Medvedev and Landaluce are scheduled to open the night session on Campo Centrale at 7 p.m. Thursday evening.
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Around the Foro Italico
• The Foro Italico grounds were still buzzing about Wednesday night’s exciting quarterfinal win by No. 18 seed Luciano Darderi of Italy, who went the distance to fight past No. 32 seed Rafael Jodar of Spain, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-0, in a match that lasted three hours and eight minutes before an electric crowd that filled Campo Centrale, the largest show court.
The 24-year-old Italian put away the last eight victory at 2:02 a.m., early Thursday morning.
Due to the night session starting late because of an earlier rain day during the day session, Darderi and Jodar didn’t walk out on court until 10:45 p.m. After winning the opening set, Darderi was unable to capitalize on a 3-0 second-set lead and squandered two match points later in the set. However, he came on strong in the final set.
Absolute cinema 💫@Lucianodarderi_ outlasts Jodar 7-6, 5-7, 6-0 in over three hours to reach his first Masters 1000 semifinal at home!#IBI26 | @atptour pic.twitter.com/ja07gB95b3
— Internazionali BNL d’Italia (@InteBNLdItalia) May 14, 2026
Darderi endured a 14-minute, 44-second second game, in which he broke Jodar on his sixth break-point opportunity. It capped a 10-deuce, 26-point marathon game. Overall, Darderi converted three of nine break points in the deciding set.
By the conclusion of their quarterfinal, Darderi was visibly shaken, bent over at the waist covering his face with his hands and in tears. Jodar looked physically spent, too.
Soon, Darderi turned to smiles as he reached his father and coach, Luciano Enrique Darderi, and the rest of his team. He signed the camera lens: “Roma ti amo (Rome I love you).”
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Darderi finished with 17 winners to offset 44 unforced errors, while Jodar hit 31 winners but committed 58 unforced errors. Darderi converted five of 18 break points and saved four of seven break points he faced from the 19-year-old Spaniard.
There was a brief suspension of play at 6-5, 15-0 in the opening set with Jodar leading due to smoke from a fireworks celebration, which drifted from the nearby Coppa Italia football final that was being held at the nearby Stadio Olimpico, some 500 meters away from Campo Centrale.
During a brief on-court interview with ATP Media, Darderi said: “I think it’s the best win of my career because of the crowd and everything here in Rome. First time in the semifinals and it’s a dream to play here. It was difficult because we started around 11 p.m. And the courts were slow. Rafa is such an amazing player, so young – just 19-years-old.
“I had my chances in the second set but then he played just amazing. I just kept fighting and I’m very happy about that.”
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• Two-time Rome doubles champions Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina advanced to the semifinal round with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over unseeded French duo Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul in one hour and 13 minutes on Supertennis Arena Thursday afternoon.
The No. 2 seeds, who lifted the trophy in 2020 and 2024, saved six of seven break points and converted four of eight break-point chances. They outpointed their opponents 56-40.
Thursday’s Italian Open results
By the numbers
If Jannik Sinner wins the Internazionali BNL d’Italia title on Sunday, he would become the second man after Novak Djokovic to complete a Career Golden Masters – winning all nine Masters 1000 events – since the ATP Masters 1000 series began in 1990. With a title triumph, the World No. 1 would also become the first Italian men’s singles champion in Rome in 50 years. The last one was Adriano Panatta in 1976.
“Quotable …”
“I’m going to be all right. It’s normal that one day in the tournament you are slightly tired. I played a lot also. It has been very long days for me.
“But look, I’m happy how I end the situation. We try to keep going.”
– World No. 1 and top seed Jannik Sinner, during his news conference after winning his 32nd-straight ATP Masters 1000 match, a streak that began last October. He was asked about his physical conditioning.
