By defeating Cobolli, Zverev became only the fourth man to reach the semifinals at each of the first four Masters 1000 events of the season (Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid) since the series began in 1990. He joins an elite list featuring Federer (2006), Nadal (2010, 2011), and Sinner (2026). “It’s amazing but, of course, I need to get past this stage now,” Zverev said with a smile during his on-court interview.

While he reached the semifinals in the three previous Masters events this year, he fell to Sinner on all three occasions. Fortunately for the German, the World No.1 is on the opposite side of the bracket this time; Zverev will face Alexander Blockx, who is coming off an upset win over reigning champion Casper Ruud.

Zverev gets redemption against Cobolli

The victory was particularly sweet as it came just two weeks after Cobolli defeated Zverev in the Munich Open final (6-3, 6-3). While the loss in Munich cost Zverev a title on home soil, the story was different in Madrid.

“No revenge. I love Flavio. He’s one of my favorite guys on Tour,” Zverev told the ATP Tour website. “I have a great relationship with him and a great relationship with his father. This is sport… Sports can change very quickly. In Munich, he played an amazing match and I didn’t play a very good match. Today, it was maybe the opposite”.

A new German milestone on clay

Beyond the tournament bracket, the win was historic for German tennis. With his victory over Cobolli, Zverev now records 179 career wins on clay. This breaks his tie with Philipp Kohlschreiber (178), making Zverev the German player with the most wins on this surface in the Open Era.

By reaching the final four in Madrid, Sinner has now reached the semifinals of all nine Masters 1000 tournaments. He becomes only the sixth player to complete the semifinal set, joining Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Andy Murray, and Alexander Zverev.

Furthermore, Sinner has reached the semifinals of the first four Masters 1000 events of the season (Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid). He joins Federer (2006) and Nadal (2010, 2011) as the only players to achieve this feat while ranked World No. 1.

Sinner chasing the Career Golden Masters

Sinner is currently enjoying a dominant season, having swept all four Masters 1000 titles so far in 2026. He is now on a collision course with history as he seeks the Career Golden Masters—winning all nine Masters 1000 tournaments at least once.

If Sinner triumphs in Madrid and follows it up with a win at the upcoming Rome Masters, he will complete the collection. Currently, Novak Djokovic is the only player in the Open Era to achieve this feat, completing it in 2018 and incredibly repeating the cycle in 2020.

Sinner praises rising star Jodar

The Italian faced a stern test against the 19-year-old local favorite. Jodar’s incredible run in Madrid included his first Top 10 win over Alex de Minaur and a victory over Joao Fonseca. While Sinner cruised through the first set, Jodar pushed the second to a tiebreak. However, Sinner’s experience shone through as he swept the breaker 7-0.

“He pushed me to the limit,” Sinner said of Jodar in his post-match interview. “He’s an incredible player. I tried to be ready as much as I could. I’m incredibly happy; it was a very high-quality match. I got a bit lucky in the second set, but also had a bit of experience. I’m obviously very happy to be in the semis here for the first time. It means a lot to me”.

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.

With his place in the final four secured, Jodar becomes only the sixth Spanish teenager to reach the semifinals of the Barcelona Open before turning 20. He joins a prestigious list that includes Alex Corretja (1994), Carlos Moya (1996), Rafael Nadal (2005, 2006), and Carlos Alcaraz (2022, 2023).

Jodar dominated Norrie with a clinical 6-3, 6-2 victory to keep his dream run alive. The teenager has now extended his winning streak to eight matches and remarkably has yet to drop a single set in the tournament.

What is Jodar’s ATP Ranking?

Ranked No. 686 exactly one year ago, Jodar has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ATP standings. By the end of 2025, he had climbed to No. 168, setting the stage for a top-100 breakthrough in 2026.

Following the May 30 update, Jodar officially cracked the top 100, landing at No. 89. Currently sitting at World No. 55, his triumph over Norrie guarantees another massive leap; he is projected to rise to World No. 42 in the next ranking update.

Alcaraz praises Jodar’s rise

Jodar has been the breakout star of 2026, already claiming the Marrakech Open title and reaching the third round of the Miami Masters 1000. His performances caught the eye of Alcaraz, who spoke highly of the 19-year-old’s rapid development.

“I was able to play a practice set with him and see the level he had. What he has achieved from Australia until now has been impressive,” Alcaraz said during a press conference in Barcelona. “He is a great player. I have been following him, and I think he has adapted to the circuit very quickly“.

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.

The World No. 3 stood out by striking the ball three meters behind the baseline, prompting the on-court interviewer to ask whose game she modeled her own after.

“The greatest clay court player is Rafa. I don’t quite play like him, but I do try to hit my forehand like he does on clay. I don’t run around as much because my forehand isn’t as good as Rafa’s, but I try to hit it more like him,” Gauff said during her post-match interview.

Gauff’s hilarious comparison to Nadal

When the interviewer suggested that Gauff could be seen as a right-handed version of the Spaniard, the American quickly interjected with a self-deprecating joke. “Like a Walmart version of Rafa. I don’t wanna be obliterated online; I’m like a lesser version than Rafa, okay?” Gauff said with a laugh.

Gauff’s comment about not wanting to be “obliterated online” stems from her past experiences with social media criticism. During the Miami Open, where she reached the final but fell to Aryna Sabalenka, she revealed she had to step away from X (formerly Twitter), labeling the platform “a bit toxic“.

After the Miami tournament, Gauff briefly returned to the platform on April 6, only to post a message indicating she was stepping away again: “deleted twitter for a month, came back today, and got instantly reminded why I should not be on here lol.” That remains her last post to date.

When does Gauff play next?

Gauff is set to face Karolina Muchova in the Stuttgart Open quarterfinals on Friday, April 17. While Gauff holds a dominant 6-0 lead in their head-to-head record, the World No. 3 is not taking her past success for granted.

“Anyone can win on any day. You take what you did well in the last matches and try to do it again. Anything can happen. She’s a great player and a great clay-court player. I don’t take any of those matches into account,” Gauff remarked about the upcoming clash.

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.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion was spotted at his academy in Mallorca, offering hands-on guidance as the Polish star prepares for the European clay-court swing. Nadal focused his mentorship on Swiatek’s positioning and return game exit areas, after he defended Carlos Alcaraz on his unexpected Miami Open, that have recently unraveled during critical match moments.

While Swiatek just announced the hiring of former Nadal coach Francisco Roig to her full-time camp, the “King of Clay” himself took a proactive role on the practice court, refining her footwork and tactical approach.

Viral footage of the session captured the two in animated conversation between points. For Swiatek, who has frequently cited Nadal as her childhood inspiration, the session was as much a “dream come true” as it was a necessary tactical overhaul.

Inside the Miami collapse: What went wrong?

he 2026 Miami Open was a tournament to forget for the former World No. 1. After dominating early rounds throughout her career, Swiatek’s second-round exit to fellow Pole Magda Linette sent shockwaves through the WTA.

There are three glaring issues in her Florida performance:

• In her 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 loss to Linette, Swiatek’s second serve became a primary target, winning just 58% of points in the final two sets.
• Swiatek finished the match with 38 unforced errors, a uncharacteristic total that spiked during her third-set collapse.
• Coming off a grueling quarterfinal exit at Indian Wells—a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 loss to Elina Svitolina—Swiatek appeared physically and mentally drained, lacking the “clutch” gene that defined her previous dominant runs.

The road back to No. 1

Currently ranked World No. 4—trailing Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff—Swiatek is in the midst of her most challenging stretch in years. She has yet to advance past a quarterfinal in four tournament appearances this season, sporting a 9-4 record overall.

With the clay season looming—a surface where she and Nadal have both built their legacies—Swiatek is betting that a “Spanish reset” and the Roig-Nadal influence will provide the spark needed to reclaim the top spot.

“He has seven Slams; he is No. 1 in the world… Is he going to win every match of the year? No, that’s not going to happen,“ Nadal told reporters. “We have to congratulate and thank Carlos for everything he is doing for the sport.”

From the opening serve, Alcaraz struggled to find his rhythm. The Spaniard looked uncharacteristically flat, recording just two aces and converting only 2-of-5 break point opportunities.

The defeat comes as a massive shift in momentum. Following a Round of 64 victory over Joao Fonseca—who famously claimed Alcaraz was a “tougher riddle” to crack than Jannik Sinner—many pundits picked Alcaraz as the heavy favorite to hoist the trophy in Miami.

Alcaraz’s internal frustration boils over

The most alarming moment of the match didn’t come from a Korda winner, but from Alcaraz’s own bench. During a particularly grueling stretch, Alcaraz turned to his coaching team with a rare admission of defeat: “I’m done. I can’t do this anymore. Today, I just can’t do it.”

The uncharacteristic lapse in mental fortitude suggests a level of burnout or physical fatigue that has analysts questioning his readiness for the grueling schedule ahead.

Alcaraz issues passionate defense of South American tour

Outside of his performance on the court, Alcaraz has become a vocal advocate for the preservation of the South American “Golden Swing.” Amid reports that the ATP may reduce the number of clay-court events in the region to lighten player workloads, the World No. 1 made his stance clear.

“Personally, I loved it there. It’s a beautiful tour, but it’s a tough one, very, very tough,” Alcaraz noted, citing the humidity and demanding travel. “But to the players who haven’t been there, I’d say you have to experience it at least once. It’s truly one of the best experiences I’ve had on tour.“

In an extensive interview with Spanish outlet Diario AS, the most successful player in the history of Roland Garros weighed in on the ATP’s top two stars, detailing the fundamental differences that define their games.

“Carlos is more random, he makes more errors, but he hits more spectacular shots,” Nadal explained. “He doesn’t have such a defined pattern of play, which makes him unpredictable, and that is fun for the spectator. Jannik is more methodical, focused, and has a very defined pattern. He is a incredibly solid player who almost never loses a match”.

Despite the contrast, Nadal was quick to defend his compatriot Alcaraz against critics who label him as “scattered” due to his high-risk style. “It makes me laugh when I hear that Carlos is scattered,” Nadal added. “When you look at the results, he has had an incredibly consistent and solid year in all the major tournaments. The results say the opposite”.

Who finished the year better?

The 2025 season has been a tug-of-war between the two young icons. While Sinner held the world No. 1 ranking for the majority of the year, Alcaraz will officially close out 2025 as the year-end No. 1. The Spaniard finished with 12,050 points, narrowly edging out Sinner’s 11,500.

Nadal on coaching: ‘Not right now’

Since his retirement in late 2024, rumors have swirled regarding Nadal’s potential transition to coaching—specifically a “super coach” role with Alcaraz. However, the King of Clay is putting those rumors to rest for now.

“I don’t see myself traveling continuously right now,” Nadal said, citing his young family as a priority. “Being a coach would require that, and it doesn’t fit my life at the moment”.

He did, however, leave one door slightly ajar: “Being Davis Cup captain? Why not? It’s something I might enjoy. But I’ve just retired; it’s too premature to be thinking about all these things. I want to respect the process of adapting to a new life”.