“Finale!” That’s what Jannik Sinner wrote on the camera lens moments after sealing his semifinal win over Arthur Fils. The moment meant a lot. With that victory, the World No. 1 booked his place in a fifth straight Masters 1000 final, an incredible run that underlines just how dominant he has been this season. From the very first set, he was in complete control, setting the tone early and putting Fils under pressure right away.

This makes him the fourth person to make every final of the Masters event on the tour; the players preceding him are Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal. 

This achievement puts him in the company of the three greatest players the sport has ever produced, and what makes it more impressive is that he is the youngest one to do so, at 24. 

Still, this was anything but an easy win for the World No. 1. Madrid has tested players all fortnight with swirling winds and the tricky altitude, conditions that can make even the simplest shots feel unpredictable. The Italian took some time to settle in, but once he found his rhythm in the opening set, he began to take control. The second set, though, turned into a much tougher battle, with Arthur Fils pushing him all the way.

“I tried to be best aggressive. I felt very comfortable in the return. Second set he started to serve better so it was more difficult. Very happy about the general performance today. Today was a very good day in the office. But I knew it before the match, he’s one of the best players in the world at the moment,” Sinner said after the match.

When the corresponded pointed out that he always seems to find another gear at the end of big tournaments, Sinner’s answer was as measured and precise as his tennis. “I don’t know. I always say the first rounds are very tough. Then, after you have to gear up a little bit. Because opponents have the same rhythm as you. The last match I played was again different. The first set was a bit more windy, then after it came down. I tried to adapt myself in the best possible way.”

It is his fifth consecutive Masters 1000 final. He will most likely be facing Alexander Zverev in the finals. If Sinner manages to seal the victory in Madrid, he will become the first player in the history of the sport to achieve this feat: Five Masters titles in a row (Paris, Indian Wells, Miami Open, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid).