Jannik Sinner’s dominance at Masters 1000 level hit a rare bump in the road at the Monte Carlo Masters, as his run of 37 consecutive sets won came to an end. Despite that setback, the Italian still secured his place in the quarter-finals after overcoming Czech opponent Tomas Machac in a tough three-set battle.
Sinner started strongly, taking the opening set comfortably, but was pushed into a tiebreak in the second. Machac edged it to level the match, marking the first time in several months that Sinner had dropped a set in Masters 1000 competition. The world No. 2 regrouped in the deciding set, however, regaining control to close out a 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 victory.
The result means Sinner’s exceptional streak of 37 straight sets won at Masters 1000 events is officially over, a run that had highlighted his recent dominance on tour. Even so, he showed resilience to avoid a shock exit and continue his pursuit of another deep run on clay.
Sinner, who has enjoyed a strong season including multiple Masters titles, acknowledged physical fatigue during the match but emphasized his ability to push through difficult moments. He now moves on to face Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere in the draw, Carlos Alcaraz also had to work hard to secure his place in the last eight. The world No. 1 dropped a set against Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry but recovered to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
Alcaraz started in dominant fashion but faced a dip in the second set as his opponent increased pressure and forced errors. The Spaniard responded well in the decider, reasserting control to avoid an early exit and continue his title defence.
With both Sinner and Alcaraz progressing, the tournament remains on course for another chapter in their growing rivalry. Alcaraz is set to face Alexander Bublik next, while Sinner continues his campaign in the opposite half of the draw.
Their parallel progress also keeps alive the possibility of a high-stakes clash later in the tournament, with both players once again proving their ability to recover even when not at their sharpest.
