Internazionali d'Italia, the'former tennis player with no brakes on Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner comes to the Internazionali d’Italia with a real chance to write another piece of tennis history. After winning five consecutive Masters 1000s, the world number one has amassed 28 wins in a row in 1,000-point tournaments and now needs only two successes to equal Roger Federer in second place on the special ranking and three to reach the record set by Novak Djokovic. A goal that, according to Sam Querrey, is well within reach.

The former U.S. tennis player, during his podcast ‘Nothing Major Show,’ has no doubts about the magnitude of the feat: “Sinner will surpass Djokovic’s record,” he said. “He needs four wins in Rome and Djokovic is on Zverev’s side of the board. He is by far the best player in the world, he has won 23 consecutive matches in total and 28 in a row in Masters 1000s. Without Carlos Alcaraz, who should beat him? I don’t see anyone capable of stopping him in Rome.”

With Alcaraz out of action and his technical dominance increasingly evident, Sinner thus arrives at the Foro Italico with a chance to extend his streak and move closer to a record that until a few months ago seemed unattainable. Indeed, for Querrey, a former ATP Top 15 ranking, it is almost a foregone conclusion that Jannik will be able to sign a new record on the major circuit.

The Murcian’s absence also weighs significantly on the ATP ranking front. Sinner leads the ranking with 14,350 points, a margin of 1,390 over Alcaraz (12,960). The wrist injury has forced Alcaraz to forfeit not only the Internazionali d’Italia, but also Roland Garros, with an overall loss that could reach up to 3,000 points in the coming weeks.

Before Paris, however, there is the Rome taboo to dispel, another tournament that Sinner has yet to win in his career: the world No. 1 will debut in the second round against the winner of the match between Austria’s Sebastian Ofner and the U.S.’s Alex Michelsen. An Italian derby with Matteo Berrettini, who will first have to overcome Australia’s Popyrin, could already materialize in the third round. Lorenzo Musetti, the number 8 seed, on the other hand, ended up on the opposite side of the scoreboard: the two Azzurri could meet only in a possible final.