Sinner recently joined the elite company of Djokovic and Nadal by winning four straight Masters 1000 trophies. His current streak includes victories at Paris (2025), Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo (2026).

While Nadal achieved a four-title streak in 2013 and Djokovic accomplished the feat three times throughout his career, neither was able to reach five in a row without an interruption in participation.

Sinner with a huge chance to gain ground in the ATP Rankings

The Italian star possesses a prime opening to amplify his lead in the standings and cement his status as World No. 1 for the foreseeable future. Following the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz and Djokovic from the Madrid Masters, Sinner has emerged as the clear frontrunner to claim the trophy.

Sinner maintains a distinct tactical edge: he carries no point-protection obligations for this event, having missed the 2025 edition. Consequently, he faces zero risk of a points deduction and stands to accumulate up to 1,000 fresh points by clinching the championship, vastly increasing the numerical cushion between himself and his Spanish rival.

When is Sinner playing?

With the qualifying rounds concluded, the world’s top-ranked player now knows his path forward. Sinner is scheduled to make his 2026 Madrid Masters debut against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi on Friday, April 24, with the match expected to begin around 10 AM ET.

Looking ahead at the Italian’s projected journey through the bracket, he could face a challenging Round of 16 encounter with Tommy Paul before potentially meeting Joao Fonseca or Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals.

Currently, Sinner, Djokovic, and Nadal are the only players in the Open Era to have won four consecutive Masters 1000 titles. The distinction lies in the frequency: the Serbian legend achieved this feat on three separate occasions (2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16), while the Spaniard accomplished it in 2013.

Sinner joined this elite group following his recent string of victories in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo. If he triumphs in Madrid, he would become the first player to win five consecutive titles at this level. While Djokovic previously won five tournaments in a row in 2011 and 2015, those streaks were interrupted by non-participation in Monte-Carlo and Madrid, respectively.

Will Sinner participate in the Madrid Masters?

Despite having an incredible opportunity to etch his name into the history books, Sinner’s participation in Madrid remains unconfirmed. Following his victory at the Monte-Carlo Masters, the Italian noted that he would take a few days of rest and evaluate the decision to play in Madrid with his team.

Regardless of his final decision, Sinner is still expected to travel to the city. According to the Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, the World No. 1 will attend the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards at Cibeles Palace, with a final decision on his tournament status expected in the coming days.

Sinner could extend his lead in the ATP Rankings

After reclaiming the World No. 1 spot following his Monte-Carlo triumph, Sinner has a golden opportunity to extend his lead over Carlos Alcaraz. Having missed last year’s edition, the Italian has zero points to defend in Madrid, meaning he could add up to 1,000 points to his total with a title win.

Alcaraz was in a similar position, having also missed the 2025 tournament. However, following his recent withdrawal due to injury, the Spaniard will now have to focus on defending his points at the upcoming Rome Masters instead.

“Madrid, unfortunately I won’t be able to compete Mutua Madrid Open this year. I’m continuing my recovery in order to be back soon. Hasta pronto!” Djokovic announced via his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

Djokovic last competed on March 11, where he suffered a 6-4, 4-6, 6-7(5) defeat to Jack Draper in the Round of 16 at the Indian Wells Masters. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is reportedly prioritizing reaching peak physical condition in time for the 2026 Roland Garros.

Alcaraz drops out too

Carlos Alcaraz’s recent wrist injury, which forced his withdrawal from the Barcelona Open, has cast a shadow over his availability for the Madrid Masters, scheduled for April 22 to May 3.

Finally, the Spaniard recently announced through his social media that he will not be able to participate in the tournament. “There is news that is incredibly hard to share. Madrid is home, one of the most special places on the calendar for me, and that’s why it hurts so much not to be able to play here for the second year in a row…” Alcaraz wrote.

Sinner’s situation

On the other side, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner indicated after his Monte-Carlo Masters victory that he would take some time off to evaluate his schedule with his team before committing to Madrid.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian still plans to travel to the Spanish capital to attend the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards at Cibeles Palace. A final decision regarding his participation in the Masters 1000 is expected shortly after the ceremony.

When could Djokovic be back?

In his announcement, Djokovic did not specify which tournament would mark his return to the tour. However, in 2025, the Serb opted to skip the Rome Masters after an early exit in Madrid to save himself for Roland Garros—a strategy that saw him reach the semifinals before falling to Sinner. With the World No. 4 hungry for a 25th Grand Slam title, perhaps he will employ a similar calculated approach this season to maximize his chances in Paris.

Reaching the mark in just 367 matches (300-67), Alcaraz now sits tied with John McEnroe as the third-fastest player in the Open Era to achieve the feat. By comparison, Nadal required 373 matches to reach 300 wins, while Djokovic took 389 and Federer 423.

Alcaraz’s rapid ascent is a testament to his immediate impact on the tour. While Federer and Djokovic faced steeper learning curves in their early twenties, Alcaraz has maintained an elite win percentage since his debut.

At just 22 years old, the Spaniard has already captured 7 Grand Slam titles—including his historic 2026 Australian Open win that completed his Career Grand Slam—and 19 additional ATP trophies.

Which two players reached 300 wins quicker than Alcaraz?

Despite the Spaniard’s surprising statistics, there are two players who achieved 300 career wins faster than Alcaraz. Jimmy Connors did it in 363 matches, while the legendary Rod Laver achieved it in 355, making him nearly impossible to surpass.

What about Sinner?

Alcaraz’s biggest competition on the ATP Tour today is World No. 2 Jannik Sinner, with whom he has already played seven finals, including three Grand Slams in 2025. However, the Spaniard outpaces the Italian in the race to 300 wins, as Sinner took 381 matches to reach the milestone.

The Monte-Carlo Masters is slowly preparing to host another final between the two stars after both players cleared their quarterfinal hurdles. Sinner will now face Alexander Zverev in the semifinals, while Alcaraz will take on the winner of the match between Valentin Vacherot and Alex de Minaur.

By taking down the Canadian, Sinner extended his winning streak to 20 consecutive matches at the ATP Masters 1000 level. He becomes just the fourth player in the history of the series (dating back to 1990) to reach that mark, joining the legendary “Big Three” of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal.

The World No. 2 will now face Alexander Zverev in the semifinals after the German dispatched rising star Joao Fonseca. Sinner remains focused on his first title in Monaco as he pursues another record held by Djokovic: becoming only the second player to win the Miami Open and Monte-Carlo Masters back-to-back.

Sinner finds rhythm after set streak ends

The five-time Grand Slam champion entered the quarterfinals boasting a dominant run of 18 consecutive Masters 1000 match wins without dropping a single set.

While his streak of 37 consecutive sets won finally ended in a second-set tiebreak against Tomas Machac in the previous round, Sinner noted that his performance against Auger-Aliassime was a significant step forward in form.

“I feel like it was a step forwards today,” Sinner said during his post-match interview. “It was a very tough match. I knew I had to get better in certain areas. The serve is not there yet, where I would love it [to be], but all things considered I’m very happy. Yesterday I was very tired. I recovered very well… Let’s see what’s coming tomorrow, but in any case, very happy to be back in the semis”.

When is Sinner playing vs Zverev?

With the semifinal bracket nearly set, Sinner is scheduled to face Zverev on Saturday, April 11. On the other side of the draw, Carlos Alcaraz advanced by defeating Alexander Bublik and awaits the winner of the match between local Valentin Vacherot and Alex de Minaur.

Should Sinner go on to win the tournament, he would become just the second player in ATP history to sweep the Miami Open and Monte-Carlo Masters back-to-back. Djokovic is currently the only man to accomplish this, having pulled off the “Sunshine-to-Clay” transition in 2015.

To reach that milestone, Sinner must first move past Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals. A win there would set up a semifinal clash against either rising star Joao Fonseca or third seed Alexander Zverev, with a potential showdown against Carlos Alcaraz looming in the final.

Sinner’s record-breaking set streak snapped

While Sinner secured the win, he saw a historic personal streak come to an end against Machac. The World No. 2 lost his first set in an ATP Masters 1000 event since last October, ending a run of 37 consecutive sets won at the Masters level.

Sinner’s dominance began at the 2025 Paris Masters and continued through a historic start to 2026. Last month, he became the first player to complete the “Sunshine Double”—winning Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back—without dropping a single set. Machac’s second-set tiebreak win on Thursday marked the first time Sinner had been pushed to a third set in a Masters tournament in over six months.

The battle for World No.1

The stakes in Monte-Carlo extend beyond the trophy, as the ATP No. 1 ranking is once again within Sinner’s reach. The Italian controls his own destiny; a title win this weekend would guarantee his return to the top of the rankings, regardless of other results.

However, Sinner could also reclaim the throne even without the title. If Carlos Alcaraz fails to reach the final, Sinner simply needs a runner-up finish to displace the Spaniard and return to World No. 1 for the first time since November 2025.

“His case had many red flags. There was no transparency or consistency,” Djokovic told Piers Morgan Uncensored. “The timing of the ban—ensuring he didn’t miss a Slam—was odd. I hate how it was handled. When you see someone else banned for four years and him for only three months, it’s just not fair.”

While Sinner did serve a brief, quiet provisional suspension, his ability to continue competing at the highest level—including reaching a Masters 1000 final shortly after the notification—has drawn scrutiny. For many players, a positive test results in an immediate, public sideline that can derail a career for years.

The ‘red flags’ in the Sinner verdict

The Sinner case deviated sharply from standard anti-doping protocol. Typically, a positive test is met with an immediate public provisional suspension. However, news of Sinner’s two positive tests only surfaced five months after the fact, once an independent panel had already cleared him of “fault or negligence.”

Critics, including Djokovic, point to several key factors that suggest a “white-glove” treatment for the Italian star:

• Sinner’s legal team filed “emergency” appeals within hours of both notifications. These were granted privately, allowing him to stay on tour while the investigation remained under wraps.
• Sinner’s team argued that his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, used an over-the-counter spray (Trofodermin) containing the steroid to treat a cut on his own finger. Naldi then reportedly massaged Sinner without gloves, leading to skin-to-skin contamination.
• Under WADA’s “Strict Liability” rules, athletes are traditionally held responsible for the actions of their staff. Many argue that even if the contamination was unintentional, Sinner should have been held to the same “negligence” standard that has seen lower-ranked players banned for years.

The CAS verdict looms

The saga is far from over. Despite the initial ruling that the contamination was unintentional, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

WADA is currently seeking a one-to-two-year ban, leaving Sinner’s future—and the integrity of the ATP’s anti-doping program—hanging in the balance.

Djokovic did play on Indian Wells and lost in the Round of 16 against Jack Draper in three sets. Djokovic won the first set, but then the British came back in full force to go through to the quarters.

Djokovic’s shoulder looked fine in that game, but the stamina didn’t. It’s also important to remember that Djokovic is 38 years old. His physical prime is long gone. So, when matches drag and long points are in order, that hampers the Serbian quite a lot. By missing Miami, he will be able to recover not only his shoulder, but physically too.

Djokovic’s history in the Miami Open

Djokovic is the most decorated tennis player of all time. The ATP’s greatest has, of course, incredible feats in the Miami Open. Djokovic has won a record-tying six Miami Open titles. He won the 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 editions. Hence, by missing this tournament, he won’t be able to surpass the legendary Andre Agassi.

Djokovic also had the chance last year, where he was a finalist, but lost to Jakub Mensik in a double tie-break game, 6-7, 6-7. With Djokovic’s career winding down, it remains to be seen if he will be able to win a seventh Miami Open title.

Who are the biggest candidates to win the 2026 Miami Open?

Both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will play, which means they are the two guys to beat in the tournament. They are undoubtedly the best two players in the world right now. Alcaraz suffered an upset straight-sets loss to Daniil Medvedev at the Indian Wells semifinals. Hence, he will come back with a vengeance.

However, this also puts Medvedev as one of the names to watch, since he is playing at a high level, and the hardcourt serves him best due to his unorthodox style. Alex Zverev is also playing. While the tournament will miss Djokovic, the field is stacked.

Before finding out that Luciano Darderi would be his opponent on Sunday, Cerundolo addressed the media after his semifinal win over fellow Argentine Tomas Etcheverry (6-3, 7-5).

With Bolavip in attendance, Cerundolo was asked to build his ideal player choosing different active players at the ATP, including himself. He started by naming Jakub Mensik or Hubert Hurkacz for the serve.

Required to include himself, Cerundolo selected his forehand as his biggest strength. For the backhand, he went with Jannik Sinner. In mobility, Cerundolo opted for Alex de Minaur, while naming Carlos Alcaraz for overall play and Novak Djokovic for the return of serves.

Cerundolo chasing first Argentina Open title in year of big Grand Slam hopes

Earlier in the tournament, Cerundolo revealed his ambitious Grand Slam goals for this year after a tough 2025 where he failed to get past the third round at the Majors. He got off to a better start in 2026, reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open—tied with the 2023 and 2024 French Opens as his best Grand Slam results.

But first he has to take care of business in Buenos Aires, where he’s looking to win a title that has been elusive so far. It’s a tournament where Carlos Alcaraz emerged victorious in 2023, and a victory would certainly boost Cerundolo’s Grand Slam aspirations in 2026.

The first upcoming Major on the schedule is Roland Garros, and a successful ending in Argentina could give Cerundolo hope ahead of the biggest tournament played on clay.

Despite entering the final after benefitting from some fortuitous breaks in earlier rounds, Djokovic put up a strong fight against Alcaraz. However, the Spaniard proved why he is currently ranked as the world’s number one, ultimately overcoming Djokovic with a scoreline of 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.

During the award ceremony, Djokovic offered an enigmatic message about his future as he reflected on his journey through this first Grand Slam of the season. “God knows what will happen tomorrow, let alone in six or twelve months. It’s been a wonderful journey. I love you all very much,” Djokovic remarked.

This statement sparked concern among his fans on social media, as many speculated that he might be contemplating retirement this year. To some, it seemed like a farewell, or perhaps the last time he would compete at the Australian Open in his esteemed career.

Djokovic’s journey to the final

Tennis fans were buzzing about the manner in which the Serbian star reached the final against Carlos Alcaraz. Benefitting from two walkovers and showcasing some extraordinary performances, Djokovic’s path reflected the prowess of one of the most significant figures in tennis history.

After dispatching Pedro Martinez, Francesco Maestrelli, and Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets in the early rounds, Djokovic advanced to the quarterfinals due to a walkover, as his fourth-round opponent withdrew. In the following round, Lorenzo Musetti faced a health issue while leading against Djokovic, which allowed Djokovic to proceed further.

In the semifinals, Djokovic demonstrated why he remains one of the premier players on the ATP circuit by defeating world number two, Jannik Sinner, in four sets. This victory secured his place in the Australian Open final for the 11th time, where, for the first time, he was unable to claim the title.

Alcaraz reaches a new milestone

By triumphing at the Australian Open, Alcaraz not only garnered more respect from the ATP circuit but also achieved a significant career milestone. The Spaniard joined an elite list of players in tennis history by completing a Career Grand Slam, becoming the youngest player ever to accomplish this feat.

Fans in Australia witnessed a clash of eras, a match that will grow rarer as time progresses. While Djokovic demonstrated the challenges aging athletes face, Alcaraz continues to assert his readiness to inherit the mantle from his countryman Rafael Nadal and establish himself as one of the greatest players in tennis history.

[Watch Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic live in the USA on Fubo]

The stage is set for a must-see championship clash as two of tennis’ biggest names battle for a Grand Slam title. Carlos Alcaraz arrives full of confidence after grinding out a dramatic five-set win over Aleksander Zverev, proving he’s ready for the biggest moment.

Across the net stands Novak Djokovic, who turned back Jannik Sinner and now chases yet another milestone in what could be one of his final shots at Grand Slam glory. With elite talent, legacy, and silverware all on the line, this is a final no tennis fan should miss.

When will the Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic match be played?

Carlos Alcaraz plays against Novak Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open final this Sunday, February 1. The action will start at 3:30 AM (ET).

Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic: Time by State in the USA

ET: 3:30 AM
CT: 2:30 AM
MT: 1:30 AM
PT: 12:30 AM

How to watch Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic in the USA

Don’t miss this electrifying 2026 Australian Open clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic on Fubo. Other options: ESPN and Tennis Channel.