Alexander Zverev finally ended his streak of semifinal defeats at ATP Masters 1000 events by reaching the final of the Madrid Open.
Following four consecutive losses in final-four Masters showdowns, Zverev beat Alexander Blockx in the Madrid semifinals to advance.
Each of those four defeats came against the same opponent, Jannik Sinner, who he will be faced with once again in the Spanish capital.
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Sinner, in pursuit of a record-breaking fifth straight Masters crown, defeated an in-form Arthur Fils comfortably to book his place in the final.
Ahead of the championship match, Zverev had high praise for the Italian, whom he has not beaten since 2023.
Alexander Zverev previews his clash with Jannik Sinner in Madrid
Speaking to BB Tennis, Zverev said: “Well, I think I have played quite well here. I’m in a Masters final. I think if you play poorly, you won’t make it to a Masters final.
“So I’m happy with my game, especially today. I think I played my best game today. Jannik is in the final too.
“Jannik is always in the final, so it’s nothing special for him. We’ll see. He is the best player in the world.
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“That’s understandable. This, I think, is clear to everyone this year. But I will try to do something differently.
“I will try to somehow hinder him from playing his game a little and ultimately win the match.”
Alexander Zverev’s record against Jannik Sinner on clay
Zverev, currently on an eight-match losing streak against Sinner, trails in the head-to-head with the world number one 9-4.
A total of 10 of their 13 meetings have come on hard court though, with the two battling it out on clay just three times before.
Their first clay-court meeting came at Roland Garros in 2020, where Sinner emerged victorious in four sets.
Two years later, they met for a second time on the dirt in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters, and Zverev earned revenge by coming back from a set down to win.
At the Monte-Carlo Masters earlier this month, they had their third clay-court bout, but Sinner dominated this time, winning 6-1, 6-4.
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