Jannik Sinner says he can’t compare himself with the sports all-time greats after claiming his 24th consecutive win at a Masters 1000 event in Madrid on Sunday.
The world No.1 downed Denmark’s Elmer Møller 6-2, 6-3, to move into the last 16 in the Spanish capital. Dropping serve only once in his latest match, Sinner produced 16 winners and won 67% of his service points. It wasn’t a flawless display from the top seed, who has previously spoken about trying to adapt to the conditions at high altitude and slipping on the court.
“I feel like it depends on how warm it is and if you play under the sun,” he explained.
“Today was a little bit warmer, so it tends to be a little bit more slippery because the court is drying out earlier.
“At the beginning of the set, they put water (on the court) so you have more grip. We are getting used to it a little bit more. Day by day, you move a little bit better, so it was okay.”
Sinner is seeking to become the first player to win the first four Masters 1000 events of a season, following his triumphs in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo. He is currently on a 19-match winning streak on the Tour and now has a perfect 55-0 record against players ranked outside the top 50 since the 2023 US Open.
As a result of his surge, the 24-year-old has overtaken Rafael Nadal on the all-time list for most consecutive matches won at Masters events. Only Roger Federer (29) and Novak Djokovic (31) have won more.
However, Sinner says he is not focusing on eclipsing the record and doesn’t want to compare himself to the prestigious Big Three. Djokovic is the only player out of the trio still playing on the Tour.
“I cannot compare myself with these names,” said Sinner.
“They did so much stuff in their careers, I’m just at the beginning. They are at a different level.
“For me, I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to play as many matches as possible. But what they did, it’s something else.
“I just try to give everything I have in every match. If I win, good. If not, I tried my best, and I don’t have regrets.”
So far in his career, Sinner has won 27 ATP titles, with four of those being at Grand Slam events. Although he is yet to triumph in Madrid, which is one of the two Masters titles he hasn’t won. The other is the Italian Open in Rome.
“I never take things for granted. I try to understand what’s working very well in certain conditions,” Sinner replied when asked how he keeps motivated and mentally sharp.
“This is my motivation. Trying to put myself in the best possible position to win as many matches as possible.
“There’s no magic. You always try to understand what’s working well in every practice session, and try to do the same thing in the match. I find motivation in this.”
