Groundhog day in tennis: Alexander Zverev on the end of unwanted record after ninth consecutive defeat to Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev are ranked one and three in the world. On paper, one might suspect a very close and dramatic rivalry between two skilled tennis players. In reality, it is the complete opposite.

Sinner's latest blow to his German foe came at the Madrid Open. In a first Masters 1000 final meeting between the two, Sinner blew his opponent away. Striding into a 5-0 lead, Zverev got on the board to prevent the bagel but was not able to muster up an unlikely comeback.

Similar patterns emerged in the second set. While Zverev seemed all over the place and not firing on all cylinders, Sinner was magnificent. He sealed a 6-1, 6-2 win in emphatic fashion, continuing the unbelievable form he currently enjoys over who is supposed to be his biggest challenger in this current period.

With Carlos Alcaraz injured for the rest of the clay swing with a wrist problem Zverev was touted to be the guy to challenge and push Sinner the most. This final in Madrid is another example of how far the skill gap is between the pair, showcasing a daunting narrative on how far ahead Sinner is from the chasing pack.

For Zverev, another humiliating stat comes from this latest loss. It is a ninth defeat on the spin against Sinner. According to Opta, it is now equal-most consecutive wins against a fellow top five opponent, joint with Roger Federer and Andy Roddick which lasted from ATP Finals 2003-ATP Finals 2007.

Funnily enough, it was not always like this. A breakthrough run to the quarterfinals of the 2020 French Open was Sinner's first win over Zverev in their first contest. The next four matches would all go the way of Zverev. This included two US Open last-16 ties, the latest coming in 2023.

This would be a huge turning point for Sinner. They would not meet for just under a year. The 2024 Cincinnati Open semi-final was the first of nine consecutive wins for Sinner, and counting. A remarkably tight clash went the distance, but it was Sinner who prevailed enroute to the title.

He then defended his Australian Open title against the German in fine fashion, winning in straight sets to seal a third major title. The last time Zverev took a set off the 24-year-old was in the final of last year's Vienna Open. In the Austrian capital, he really pushed Sinner but fell short right at the end.

From that point onwards, it has gotten rather ugly for Zverev. Sinner thrashed him in the semi-finals of the Paris Masters 6-0, 6-1. It would be the first of five consecutive Masters 1000 titles for Sinner after lifting a maiden trophy in Paris, but also significantly would start a trend where he defeated Zverev enroute to every single one.

Before that continued, he nabbed another straight set win off him in the ATP Finals round robin. To start 2026, last-four triumphs at Indian Wells, Miami Open and Monte-Carlo Masters all came before the painful and decisive blow in Madrid. It seems inevitable that their paths cross soon in the future. The rampant Italian will eye double digits in terms of consecutive wins while Zverev goes back to the drawing board as he continues to search for the secret to defeating the world number one.