Tennis-Sinner cruises past Fils to reach Madrid Open final


Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - May 1, 2026 Italy's Jannik Sinner reacts with France's Arthur Fils after winning their semi final match REUTERS/Isabel Infantes

May 1 (Reuters) - World number ⁠one Jannik Sinner powered into the Madrid Open final with a ⁠6-2 6-4 victory over Arthur Filson Friday, keeping alive his ‌bid for a record fifth successive ATP Masters 1000 title.

The 24-year-old claimed his 27th win at Masters 1000 level, having lifted trophies in Paris last year and at Indian ​Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo in 2026.

Sinner also ⁠became only the fourth player ⁠to reach the final of all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments - after ⁠Roger ‌Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal - and the youngest to achieve the feat.

"Very happy about the general performance today," Sinner said ⁠during his on-court interview.

"I am trying to play the ​best possible tennis ‌I can play, in this moment. Today was a very good ⁠day in ​the office."

Chasing his second clay-court title of the season, the Italian controlled the baseline exchanges and mixed in deft drop shots to hand Fils his first ⁠defeat on the surface this year.

The Frenchman offered ​more resistance in the second set, varying his play to stay in touch, but Sinner secured the decisive break before closing out the match in ⁠85 minutes.

"I tried to play very aggressive. I felt very comfortable on return. In (the) second set, he started to serve better, so it became a bit difficult," Sinner said.

"But I knew it before the match, he's ​one of the best players in the world ⁠at the moment. I am very happy I've played against him. It ​means a lot to me."

Sinner will meet ‌the winner of the second semi-final between ​the two-time Madrid champion Alexander Zverev or Alexander Blockx in Sunday's final.

(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)

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