After his semifinal clash against French player Fils, Jannik Sinner once again etched his name into the history books with a remarkable achievement that would likely earn him a nod of respect from tennis legends Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
Before the highly anticipated match against Fils, the only question on everyone’s mind was how Sinner would secure his victory. Many had already written off the Frenchman’s chances, believing he stood little to no chance of stopping the Italian, especially given Sinner’s determination to claim the Madrid title. However, some cautioned against underestimating Fils, who arrived in Madrid fresh off winning the Barcelona 500 title and had battled his way to the semifinals. His confidence and ambition to upset the world No. 1 made him a potential dark horse in the tournament.
From the first set, Sinner lived up to expectations. The 24-year-old pressed the accelerator from the very first point, displaying his refusal to be upset and his determination to teach the Frenchman a lesson. Fils had little answer, failing to earn a single break point as Sinner cruised to a 6-2 win. In the second set, Fils raised his game and fought fiercely, but at 4-4, Sinner suddenly shifted gears, breaking the deadlock with a stunning backhand down the line. The Italian sealed the set 6-4, proving that Fils still has plenty of work to do to compete at his level.
Sinner’s dominance was staggering: he lost only three points on 24 first serves, prompting fans to dub him “a warrior, not a mere mortal.” By reaching the Madrid final, Sinner unlocked another remarkable milestone: he has now reached the final in all nine ATP Masters 1000 events, becoming the youngest player in history to achieve this feat, surpassing the Big Three. Federer was 30 when he accomplished it in Paris in 2011, Nadal was 27 in Cincinnati in 2013, and Djokovic was 25 in Shanghai in 2012. Sinner, at just 24, has outpaced them all by at least a year.
In addition, Sinner became the first player born in the 2000s to record 350 tour-level wins. He will face Alexander Zverev in the final, and fans are already speculating which Big Three records he might break next if he wins the title.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Russian star Mirra Andreeva has also been a revelation in Madrid. After defeating American surprise package Baptiste in straight sets in the semifinals, she is the overwhelming favorite for the women’s singles title. She will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in the final. If she wins, Andreeva will become the first player born after 2006 to hold three WTA 1000 titles.
Andreeva’s popularity has soared even higher as she also advanced to the doubles final with partner Diana Shnaider, defeating the formidable duo of Siegemund and Zvonareva in the semifinals. If she can claim both titles, her triumph will ignite celebrations among fans.
The women’s singles final is scheduled for 11:00 PM Beijing time tonight. Andreeva will first look to secure her first Madrid singles title before aiming for double glory in the doubles final. All eyes will be on the Russian sensation to see if she can deliver.