Jannik Sinner could obliterate standalone Djokovic record after Madrid Open

Jannik Sinner is now the youngest man in tennis history to appear in the final of all nine Masters 1000 tournaments, but a win in Madrid will make Novak Djokovic nervous.

Jannik Sinner will take on Alexander Zverev in tomorrow’s Madrid Open final, and the Italian is on the verge of making history that could make Novak Djokovic nervous.

The Italian, now in his tenth Masters 1000 final, could leave Madrid with a historic win that would see him visit Rome in pursuit of the Career Golden Masters.

That feat would be achieved through a Sinner victory in Rome - having already won Indian Wells, Miami twice, Monte Carlo, Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris since his first Masters 1000 win in 2023.

Novak Djokovic — heralded by many as the tennis GOAT — is currently the only singles player in tennis history to have won all nine Masters 1000 tournaments, with the Serbian achieving this feat in 2018.

Djokovic won his first Cincinnati Masters title at the age of 31, beating long-time rival Roger Federer in the 2018 final after losing to the Swiss maestro on three prior occasions.

Sinner could achieve this feat before the end of May, by first prevailing against Alexander Zverev in tomorrow’s Madrid Open final then conquering Rome to secure the Career Golden Masters.

The Italian could do this far earlier at the age of just 24, securing one of tennis’ most elusive achievements at an age seven years younger than Djokovic was when he wrote history.

Jannik Sinner won Wimbledon against rival Carlos Alcaraz after losing in a historic Roland Garros the month prior, but this year could be different. (Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Federer was prevented from winning two clay court Masters 1000 tournaments, Rome and Monte Carlo, by the surface’s greatest ever player and fellow GOAT contender Rafael Nadal, but Sinner — who fell in Rome to Carlos Alcaraz last year — will play the tournament without being blocked by his own Spanish rival.

Alcaraz announced last week that he will not be defending his Rome or Roland Garros crowns due to injury, after beating Sinner in the final of both tournaments in 2025.

The gap between Sinner’s potential achievement and Djokovic’s current standalone record widens when you look at their Masters 1000 victories by date.

Djokovic’s first victory came in 2007, completing the feat in 2018, while Sinner’s first came in 2023 and he is well-placed to secure the Career Golden Masters later this month.

With his greatest rival confirmed to miss Roland Garros, Sinner could also achieve the Career Golden Slam in June — having already won the Australian Open, US Open and Wimbledon — after previously falling to the Spaniard in last year’s legendary five-set final.