ROME (AP) 鈥� From the desert to ; to ; and the red clay of , too, nobody has been able to beat for three full months.
By sweeping the first five Masters 1000 tournaments of the year, the top-ranked Sinner has dominated like few other players have in the sport鈥檚 recent history while amassing a 29-match winning streak.
And yet now the stakes are rising for Sinner as he attempts to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open. The clay-court Grand Slam, which starts on Sunday in Paris, is the only major that Sinner hasn鈥檛 won.
A couple of hours after becoming the first Italian man to win the Italian Open in 50 years on Sunday, Sinner鈥檚 focus was already pivoting toward Roland Garros.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have much time to realize what we鈥檙e accomplishing,鈥� Sinner said. 鈥淚 said it before the start of the year: My main goal is and remains Paris.
鈥淲hat we鈥檝e done here and the rest of the year is incredible. I realize that. But mentally I know that now I鈥檝e got to do all the right things. It鈥檚 necessary to rest, but I also need to stay in form because soon my most important tournament of the year is approaching. I don鈥檛 want to put too much pressure on myself, because that comes by itself.鈥�
The pressure on Sinner has heightened with his only real rival, Carlos Alcaraz, currently that will keep the Spaniard out of the French Open. Alcaraz became the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam when he won the in February at 22.
The 24-year-old Sinner has matched Pete Sampras鈥� 29-match winning streak from 1994 for the fifth longest run in the ATP Tour era (since 1990). Novak Djokovic holds the record with 43 straight match wins in 2010-11.
All 9 Masters events in a year
With his Rome title, Sinner has already become the second man after Djokovic to win all nine Masters 1000 events 鈥� the biggest tournaments outside the 鈥� over his career. Djokovic won each event at least twice.
Might Sinner want to consider attempting to win all nine Masters events this year, now that there鈥檚 only Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris remaining? That’s something that not even Djokovic accomplished.
鈥淲e need to go tournament by tournament. The most important thing is to feel good physically on the court. If you鈥檙e not feeling well physically, you鈥檒l go nowhere,鈥� said Sinner, who had to overcome exhaustion and fatigue during a semifinal victory over Daniil Medvedev in Rome.
鈥淭he most important thing for me is my body. Everyone plays tennis well,鈥� Sinner said of his fellow pros.
Still, Sinner suggested that because he won鈥檛 be playing any grass-court warmups before defending his Wimbledon title this year, 鈥渢here鈥檚 a chance we play in Canada鈥� in August.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 realistic,鈥� Sinner added of winning all nine Masters in the same year. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not possible to continue playing like I am now for the entire season.鈥�
Sinner relaxes with golf and go-kart
Known for his understated celebrations and always maintaining his composure, Sinner is not one to dwell on his victories and titles.
鈥淗appiness shouldn鈥檛 depend on winning a tournament or not,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 fairly even-tempered off the court. It鈥檚 small things that make me happy, like spending half a day playing golf or going to race go-Kart.鈥�
Walk-ons with children make Sinner smile
Sinner鈥檚 humane side was on display when he accompanied kids from a children鈥檚 hospital onto the court in Rome.
, while another time he had to slow his pace so the kid could keep up.
鈥淪ometimes us tennis players, and it鈥檚 not nice to say, we don鈥檛 realize how fortunate we are,鈥� Sinner said. 鈥淭hese might be the moments that touch me the most, because you make physical contact with the kids. 鈥� Minor gestures that they鈥檒l remember forever and which don鈥檛 cost us anything 鈥� or rather they provide us with beautiful feelings.鈥�
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