Under the bright lights and echoing acoustics of indoor tennis, Jannik Sinner has been crafting a saga of dominance that feels almost cinematic. Each clean strike, each poised step, and each laser-sharp winner adds another layer to his growing aura as the sport’s undisputed indoor king. He has now won 29 consecutive matches on indoor hard courts. Although with that he has now tied with Roger Federer, Sinner is still 18 wins away from dethroning John McEnroe in that list. However, seeing his brilliance on this surface, one of tennis’ most respected minds has stepped forward to acknowledge the magnitude of what we’re witnessing.

The 24-year-old Italian recently took down America’s Ben Shelton by 6-3, 7-6(3), and with that, he added yet another feather to his cap. Since the ATP Finals’ inauguration in 1970, Sinner is now the first player to win three round robin matches without conceding a set in consecutive years. This was also his eighth consecutive win in Turin. Seeing Sinner’s sheer dominance on this surface, Coco Gauff’s ex-coach, Brad Gilbert, shared a tweet saying, “Sin City 🌆 is so good 😊 indoors; his neutral balls 🎾 do much more damage, also more more difficult to defend on gritty indoor court.”

Indoors, Jannik Sinner isn’t just playing better - his game becomes heavier, sharper, and drastically more suffocating. And the numbers back that up in historic fashion. Talking about numbers, we’ll also need to mention that he has now also tied Roger Federer after securing 17+ Top 10 wins in consecutive seasons. Federer did it in 2006-2007. It’ll be interesting to see if he can add a couple more from this tournament.

Next up for Sinner in the semis will be world number 7, Alex de Minaur. Despite losing two consecutive matches against Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti, the Aussie’s incredible triumph over Taylor Fritz earned him a spot in the semis. But let me remind you, De Minaur has a 0-12 record against Sinner. Can he finally figure out a way to open his account this time?

Tennis legend gives out valuable advice to Alex de Minaur ahead of his match against Jannik Sinner

Every rivalry has that turning-point moment, the one no one expects until it arrives. As Alex de Minaur gears up for his semifinal match against Jannik Sinner, the odds say one thing, but Tim Henman says another. With calm conviction, the former British tennis player offered the Australian a blueprint and a belief that could spark one of the boldest upsets of the season.

During a conversation on Sky Sports, Henman said, “Yeah, it’s not going to get easier, is it? But I definitely think that he’s got to play with that freedom. I mean, this is such a sort of bonus to be through to the semis. He’s playing Sinner in Italy; it’s one of those, you know, career moments, and so he will definitely go out and embrace it. He did an unbelievable job beating Fritz today. He’s up against it.”

Jannik Sinner has always been a nightmare matchup for the Aussie. The Italian’s power off both wings, his ability to rob time and flip defense to offense in a heartbeat… it has consistently sucked De Minaur out of his comfort zone. Can ‘Demon’ pull off a miracle this time?

Time will tell! But while sharing his thoughts about his incredible win against Fritz, Alex de Minaur said, “I have dealt with a fair bit of heartbreak recently, so it was good to finally get a win here in Turin. I have worked really hard, so it was good to get some positive feedback or a positive reward for the hard work, so I am very happy with the performance.”

Seeing his incredible performance against the American, even Jannik Sinner couldn’t stop himself from showering praise on him. He said, “First, I’m very happy for him. When you have these kinds of losses that he had against Lorenzo, it’s very tough. Props to him to come back with such an incredible performance. One of the best matches I’ve seen him play… against Taylor. I have to be very careful. He doesn’t have a lot to lose. I have a lot to lose.”

Sinner believes this is really going to be a difficult match this time. But what are your own thoughts on this? Let us know your picks in this SF duel.

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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