Jannik Sinner extended his remarkable run at Masters 1000 events to 24 consecutive victories with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Danish qualifier Elmer Moller in the third round of the Mutua Madrid Open on Sunday. The Italian’s win continued a sequence that has reshaped this season’s discussion of dominance at the highest non-Grand Slam level.

Sinner is now only the third man in the Open era of Masters 1000 competition, which began in 1990, to amass 24 or more straight wins at these events. Roger Federer previously completed such a run once, and Novak Djokovic achieved it twice. That places Sinner in an exclusive group of players who have produced extended periods of supremacy at the Masters 1000 tier.

The current streak has yielded four successive Masters 1000 titles for Sinner. His run includes the Paris title from last year followed by victories at Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo so far this year. Those results underline the consistency behind the streak, demonstrating success across different surfaces and conditions within the elite Masters 1000 calendar.

Sunday’s victory over Moller was efficient and decisive, another chapter in a sequence that now stretches across multiple tournaments and seasons. With the Madrid win, Sinner remains on course through the middle of the 2026 Masters swing, carrying both momentum and the statistical weight of an extended winning streak that ranks alongside some of the most sustained runs in Masters 1000 history.

As the Mutua Madrid Open progresses, Sinner’s streak is likely to be a focal point, both for opponents preparing to face him and for observers tracking how long this exceptional sequence can continue at the sport’s highest regular tour level.

Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek spent part of their practice week at an unconventional training site in Madrid: the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The venue was converted into a clay-court training surface for the ATP and WTA 1000 event, and players were able to use the club’s locker rooms while working there.

Real Madrid players Thibault Courtois, Jude Bellingham and Linda Caicedo joined 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal for on-court rallies with Sinner and Swiatek on Thursday. One memorable moment saw Nadal’s three-year-old son, Rafael Jr., pick up a racquet and hit a few balls as Sinner watched with a grin.

“Spectacular,” Nadal said of the experience. “You can’t ask for much more. Also, when this unique stadium was built it was designed for things like this to happen. Being able to play tennis in this place is something unique, and it will go down in history.

“It’s a venue that left an impression on me, and has a special place in sport.”

The Bernabeu seats 83,000 and completed a major renovation in 2024. The overhaul added a retractable roof and a retractable pitch system that allows the natural grass field to be divided into trays and stored underground in a climate-controlled environment. That infrastructure made the rapid conversion possible: the clay court was installed in less than two days, with work starting immediately after Real Madrid’s 2-1 home win over Deportivo Alaves on Tuesday evening and finishing in time for Thursday’s sessions.

Since reopening, the Bernabeu has hosted events including an official NFL game and stops on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The tournament called the staging at the stadium “an historic step” that reaffirms Madrid’s capacity to host innovative initiatives with global reach. “The presence of a clay court in the Bernabeu not only meets an operational need for players, who will have a new training space fully integrated into the tournament dynamic, but also projects a powerful image of Madrid as a capital capable of reinventing its major sporting venues and connecting them with one another.”

Several players used the facility during the week, but Sinner indicated he plans to return to training at the Caja Magica for the remainder of the event. “No, no, no, no. I want to practice here,” he said after his opening win over Benjamin Bonzi. “But yesterday was a very interesting day. Seeing a court there in the Bernabéu was amazing. It was (my) first time going to the stadium…

“For me, it was nice to get (to know) Courtois and Bellingham in a personal point of view. They are incredibly humble, and at the top of the game for so many years already—two different players, obviously, and different ages.”

Casper Ruud’s connection to the Mutua Madrid Open has come full circle. His 2025 title win sent the Norwegian back to the place where a childhood 10th birthday left a lasting impression, a memory he described after his final-round victory over Jack Draper last May.

“I said I wanted to watch tennis, and Madrid was a good option. I have relatives who lived in Madrid, so we stayed with them and came for two days to watch the tennis,” he recalled.

“I remember I got Novak’s autograph, and I watched Rafa, Roger and Soderling. I also saw Tommy Haas practicing. I loved every minute watching the players play, with my grandmother. She has a photo of me and you can see the excitement on my face. It’s incredible, it’s a dream come true to have this trophy here.”

Ruud began his title defense on Saturday in emphatic fashion, defeating Jaume Munar 6-0, 6-1 in 66 minutes. Two guests of honor were in his box as he advanced with a dominant performance.

Keeping the family tradition alive, grandmother Liv returned to the Spanish capital this year and brought along her grandson Oscar for the boy’s 10th birthday experience. Casper first visited the Caja Mágica as a 10-year-old; Oscar followed that same choice for his own milestone.

Casper in 2009; Oscar with Liv in 2026.

Oscar’s day included meetings with several high-profile players. Among those he encountered were 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, Argentine No. 1 Francisco Cerundolo and Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian is ranked No. 5, right behind Djokovic.

The visit doubled as a family moment and a glimpse at the tour for an aspiring young player. As Ruud continues his defence, the tournament has once again provided personal memories that tie the present to a formative childhood trip.