Jannik Sinner dismisses Alexander Zverev at Madrid Open to set ATP Masters 1000 record

Jannik Sinner is the first man to win five ATP Masters 1000 titles in a row. Clive Brunskill / Getty Images Share article2Jannik Sinner’s 6-1, 6-2 thrashing of Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open final Sunday came with plenty of remarkable numbers. Five consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles for Sinner: a record. 28 ATP Masters 1000 match wins in a row for Sinner, leaving him three short of Novak Djokovic’s record of 31. 23 match wins in a row in all competitions for Sinner, as he builds another streak. And then 62. 62 consecutive holds of serve for Sinner, the world No. 1, against Zverev, the world No. 3. The chasm between Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, and the rest of the ATP Tour, was already easy to see. In Alcaraz’s absence, which is set to extend until at least the end of the French Open, Sinner glides over all. It took just nine minutes for Sinner to establish a 3-0 lead, by which time the match appeared over. When it was 5-0 after 17 minutes, it was even more over. “Super sorry for the final, it was not my best day,” Zverev said in the trophy ceremony. “No chance for most of the people, for us against you,” he said to Sinner. Zverev’s first serve, which was key to his having any chance, was reliable in terms of going in but lacks the precision to trouble Sinner on return, while Sinner’s serves were flirting with the lines all afternoon. When Zverev’s forehand looped, Sinner crushed it. When Zverev accelerated, Sinner absorbed. Zverev did not generate anything to suggest he might break Sinner’s serve, let alone have any prospect of winning the tournament. When it was over, Sinner had the trophy to go with a 10-4 head-to-head record against Zverev. Zverev won four of their first five meetings; since then it is 9-0 to the Italian. Sinner will head to the Italian Open with another record in prospect. If he wins the tournament in Rome, he will have won all nine ATP Masters 1000 events. The only other man to do that is Djokovic, who did it when he was 31. Sinner is 24. On the evidence of the past 12 days, there is little that can stop him. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms