Sinner’s remarkable run of straight-set victories came to an end for the Italian against Tomas Machac. Sinner had not dropped a set at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament since he was forced to withdraw from last year’s Shanghai Masters due to cramping issues in a match against Tallon Griekspoor.
Since then, the Italian won the Paris Masters and went on to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ in Indian Wells and Miami last month without dropping a single set in any of those three tournaments.
His flawless run set a record for the most consecutive sets in ATP Masters events long ago, but it came to an end against Machac.
There was no sign that Sinner’s perfect run would end in this match as he stormed to a 6-1 triumph in the opening set, but he then appeared to suffer a physical problem at the start of the second.
Sinner appeared to be suffering from a sickness issue as he fell 5-2 behind and Machac sensed there was a huge chance for an upset win.
When the finishing line for the set was in sight, the Czech player faltered and Sinner forced a tie-break before throwing in too many unforced errors as he dropped his first set in a Masters event in 186 days days.
Sinner composed himself to seal a 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-3 win and move to within three wins of clinching the title that will allow him to oust Alcaraz as world number one.
“I think I can be happy,” Sinner said.
“Not every day is the same. I was struggling a little bit. I was a bit tired. I hope that I can recover as much as I can for tomorrow.
“I try to do the best I can every match I play. The most important thing today was to try and get through somehow. I can play great tennis tomorrow [Friday] hopefully. I just try to perform in the best possible way and today is a positive.”
Fitness and sickness issues have proved to be as big an obstacle for Sinner than his opponents on court in Masters events and he will face a tough test in his next match as he takes on the in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime, who moved to the quarterfinals after Casper Ruud was forced to retire with the Canadian leading 7-5, 2-2.
Earlier, Alcraz booked his quarterfinal with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win against clay court specialist Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
In a match that saw Alcaraz make more errors than he would have wanted, the Spaniard bounced back from a poor second set to find a way to get over the winning line and stay on track for a potential showdown with Sinner in Sunday’s final.
“I was playing really well in the first set, I was feeling the ball 10/10,” said Alcaraz.
“Then I started pretty well in the second set as well and had a chance to break his serve in the second game, but I didn’t take it.
“When you don’t take the opportunities at this level, you have to run back. He played more aggressively after that, but I would say it was a great fight in the end.”
Alcaraz will now face eighth seed Alexander Bublik in his next match after the Kazakhstani beat Jiri Lehecka 6-2, 7-5.
