Jannik Sinner Crushes Zverev to Win Madrid Open, Claims Record Fifth Straight Masters 1000 Title

Key facts

• Jannik Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 in the Madrid Open final on May 3, 2026.
• The match lasted 57 minutes; Sinner converted all four break points and faced none.
• Sinner became the first man to win five consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles.
• He is the fourth player to reach the final of all nine Masters 1000 events, after Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal.
• Sinner has won 23 consecutive matches since early March 2026.
• He next plays the Italian Open in Rome, the only Masters 1000 he has not won.
• Zverev, world No. 3, has lost nine straight matches to Sinner since Cincinnati 2024.
• Marta Kostyuk won the women's singles title, beating Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-3.

A Masterclass in Madrid

Jannik Sinner dismantled Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 in the Madrid Open final on Sunday, needing just 57 minutes to secure his first title at the Caja Magica and etch his name into the record books. The world No. 1 from Italy became the first man to win five consecutive ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, a streak that includes titles in Paris last year and Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo in 2026. Sinner's dominance was absolute: he converted all four break points he earned and did not face a single break point himself. Zverev, the third-ranked German, managed only five points in the first five games before finally holding serve in the sixth game of the opening set. The Italian closed out the match in under an hour, breaking Zverev twice more in the second set.

A Record-Breaking Run

With his victory in Madrid, Sinner has now won 28 consecutive matches at the Masters 1000 level, a streak dating back to his title in Paris last year. He is only the fourth player to reach the final of all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, joining Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal, and he is the youngest to achieve the feat at 24 years old. Sinner's 23-match overall win streak, which began in early March after a semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, includes Masters titles in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and now Madrid. He is the first man to win all four Masters 1000 events to open a season.

Zverev's Frustration and Admiration

Alexander Zverev, a two-time Madrid champion (2018, 2021) and runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz in 2022, was blunt in his assessment of his performance. “He’s very good, of course. But I think today I would have lost to anybody, to be very fair. I think today I played an awful tennis match,” Zverev said. The German has now lost nine consecutive matches to Sinner, a streak that began at Cincinnati in 2024. Zverev also acknowledged the gulf between himself and the top-ranked Italian. “It’s quite simple. I think there’s a big gap between Sinner and everybody else,” he said.

Sinner's Journey and Team

Sinner had never advanced past the quarterfinals in three previous appearances in Madrid. His breakthrough this year, he said, is the result of relentless dedication. “I think there is a lot of work behind it. A lot of dedication and sacrifice I put in every day. Obviously, it means a lot to me, seeing these results,” Sinner told the crowd. He credited his team for his success: “I’m showing up every day, at every practice session, trying to put in the right work with the right discipline. To do so, you need to have the right team behind you, which I have. I’m very happy about me, but also the team, and this means a lot to all of us.”

The Road Ahead: Rome and Paris

Sinner next plays at the Italian Open in Rome later this month, the only Masters 1000 tournament he has yet to win. A victory there would put him alongside Novak Djokovic as the only men to complete the Career Golden Masters — winning all nine Masters 1000 events. Djokovic has accomplished the feat twice. Beyond Rome, Sinner will aim for a career Grand Slam at the French Open in Paris next month. A win at Roland Garros would give him a title at each of the four majors. Carlos Alcaraz, the world No. 2, completed his own Grand Slam in January at the Australian Open but withdrew from the French Open due to a right wrist injury and did not compete in Madrid.

Women's Final and Other Highlights

In the women's final on Saturday, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine defeated Mirra Andreeva of Russia 7-5, 6-3 to capture the biggest title of her career. The Madrid Open also saw Kei Nishikori, Asia's most successful male tennis player, announce his pending retirement during the tournament. Sinner's run in Madrid included dropping just one set en route to the title, underscoring his current dominance on the ATP Tour.

The bottom line

• Jannik Sinner won the Madrid Open for the first time, beating Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 in 57 minutes.
• He became the first man to win five consecutive Masters 1000 titles, a streak spanning Paris (2025) through Madrid (2026).
• Sinner has won 23 straight matches since early March 2026 and 28 consecutive Masters 1000 matches.
• He is the youngest player to reach the final of all nine Masters 1000 events, joining Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal.
• Sinner next targets the Italian Open in Rome, the only Masters 1000 he has not won, and the French Open for a career Grand Slam.
• Alexander Zverev has lost nine straight matches to Sinner and acknowledged a significant gap between himself and the world No. 1.