Jannik Sinner joins Nadal and Federer after Monte Carlo win

Jannik Sinner has reached the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters, but his path there was anything but straightforward.

After taking an early lead against Tomas Machac, he lost momentum in the second set, allowing his opponent to even things up.

But Sinner managed to regain his composure in time to see out the match, and he’ll now face Felix Auger-Aliassime for a place in the semi-finals.

Jannik Sinner joins elite group with remarkable Big Three feat in Monte Carlo

If it feels like a long time since Jannik Sinner last lost a Masters 1000 match, that’s because it has been.

His most recent defeat at this level came at Shanghai in October. Since then, he’s picked up titles in Paris, Miami and Indian Wells, and now looks well placed to add another final appearance in Monaco to his record.

With his win over Machac, Sinner notched his 19th consecutive victory at this tier of competition, becoming just the fifth player ever to do so.

That exclusive list now includes: Novak Djokovic (three times), Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Jannik Sinner.

Sinner can also overtake Carlos Alcaraz as the world number one during this tournament, giving him even more motivation to chase down the title.

Jannik Sinner’s ongoing fitness issues come up again despite win over Tomas Machac

While Sinner managed to secure the victory against Machac, he did take a medical timeout during the match.

Afterwards, the four-time Grand Slam winner admitted he’d been “struggling” and hoped to be ready for his next match.

This isn’t new for Sinner, who has dealt with similar issues in the past. Even though his playing style often allows him to finish matches quickly, fatigue has cropped up more than once.

At this year’s Australian Open, he battled cramps in a tough early-round match against Eliott Spizzirri. The same issue had affected him during the Shanghai event last year.

Back in Cincinnati, illness forced him to withdraw from the final against Carlos Alcaraz.

Even with his recent form and consistency at the top of the game, these recurring physical problems remain a concern as he moves deeper into another demanding season.

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