Draw nightmare? Jannik Sinner heads to French Open scorching hot

Good luck to the tennis players on Jannik Sinner’s side of the bracket at the 2026 French Open.

Sinner kept his hot streak alive on Sunday, May 17, becoming the first Italian in 50 years to win the Italian Open. Sinner beat Casper Ruud, 6-4, 6-4, and joined Novak Djokokic as the only men to have won all nine Masters 1000 events in their career. Djokokic, however, was 31 years old when he accomplished the feat. Sinner doesn’t turn 25 years old until August.

The Masters 1000 events are considered the biggest tournaments in professional tennis outside of the Grand Slams. Sinner completed the “Career Golden Masters,” according to the ATP, after winning his first event in Toronto in 2023. He’s 10-2 in ATP Masters 1000 finals during that time, with the only defeats coming to Alcaraz.

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Sinner has just two losses this year and hasn’t lost since Feb. 19. He’ll arrive at Roland-Garros for the start of the French Open next week on a 29-match winning streak dating back to March and he’s 17-0 on clay this year.

With Carlos Alcaraz not playing the clay-court Grand Slam due to a wrist injury, Sinner is the overwhelming French Open favorite. It’s the only Grand Slam event he has not yet won.

Sinner lost last year’s Italian Open final to Alcaraz in his first tournament back after serving a three-month doping ban. He didn’t waste another opportunity to make history against Ruud. Sinner overcame an early break in the first set, then broke Ruud’s serve in the first game of the second set en route to his straight-set win.

Adriano Panatta, the last Italian to win the Italian Open in 1976, presented Sinner with the trophy during an post-match ceremony.

“I’m happy one of us was able to take advantage of this great period for Italian tennis,” Sinner said, according to ESPN

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jannik Sinner brings 29-match streak, and trouble, to French Open draw