"What does it take to beat him?" - Andrey Rublev questions who can defeat Jannik Sinner after becoming latest victim in Rome

Andrey Rublev was the latest player to try and halt Jannik Sinner in his tracks, and like many before him resoundingly failed in the quarter-finals of the Rome Open, losing 6-2, 6-4 to the world number one who in turn made more Masters 1000 history.

It is a 32nd consecutive win at this level for Sinner, bettering Novak Djokovic's prior 31 wins on the spin. He is on course for a sixth successive Masters 1000 title, and a first in his home capital of Rome which would see him complete all nine titles in this category, giving Djokovic some company in this coveted group.

With Roland Garros swiftly approaching, he will be the overwhelming favourite to clinch the title and complete the career Grand Slam. With defending champion Carlos Alcaraz out injured and Novak Djokovic not at his best, there are very few who could dethrone the rampant Italian.

He will take on another Russian in the semi-finals in the form of Daniil Medvedev in a repeat of the Indian Wells final. First up, he had to get the better of Rublev. An early break was an ominous sign as Sinner stormed into a 3-1 lead. That became a double break soon after with Sinner serving it out with ease.

Sinner broke in the first game of the second set, leaving the two-time Masters 1000 champion in a position many have felt against Sinner. Rublev offered himself a lifeline by breaking back, but the deficit was way too steep to mount any serious comeback. He never broke again, and that break advantage Sinner had came in handy when fatigue started to settle in. He got the job done with his first match point and confirmed a second semi-final on the spin in Rome.

Rublev reacted to his overall performance after the match, admitting that it was not his finest display by that Sinner was playing at a very high level.

"My performance was okay, nothing more. But Jannik is playing very well, he's really consistent," he told Tennis World Italia. "You have to be super focused to maintain that level all the time. He is in exceptional form right now.

"The lines are part of our sport, there's nothing wrong with hitting them. That's why he is world No.1. You have to force him to make mistakes at certain moments, but you need a lot of concentration to achieve that level."

He would then reminisce on a brutal defeat at Roland Garros last year where he picked up just eight games. "The last time I played him on this surface was at Roland Garros and it wasn't a match, he simply crushed me. Today, at least there were some rallies," he admitted.

"He may have only made two or three unforced errors in the second set, while he was already leading. He didn't give me any points before that. I think you have to force him to make mistakes or try a winner."

The concerning question is who can beat him. Aside from Alcaraz, Rublev was not really sure. "What does it take to beat him? Alcaraz has beaten him several times. It's true that they are both at the top. The season is still going on, other players are coming, we'll see how things go."

The Rome Open is the only Masters 1000 tournament on clay that Rublev has not won, having triumphed in Monaco and Madrid. Like the rest of the tennis world, his sights are firmly set on Roland Garros, opting not to compete at either the Hamburg Open or Geneva Open.