The main semifinal duo of the men’s tournament has been determined in Madrid: Jannik Sinner, leader of the PIF ATP Rankings, will face Arthur Fils, who has swiftly regained his status as one of the season’s most dangerous players following a long recovery. Both players arrive at the match undefeated on clay in 2026, adding extra intrigue to the encounter.
Sinner’s run is impressive: 21 consecutive wins, titles in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo, as well as last year’s triumph in Paris. The Italian is close to a historic achievement—claiming a fifth ATP Masters 1000 title in a row. In Madrid, he has reached the semifinals for the first time, becoming the sixth player since 1990 to advance to the last four at all nine events in this series.
The comeback of Fils
Arthur Fils, who recently won the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona, is showing confident play after an eight-month break due to a back injury. His season record is 22 wins and 5 losses, and in Madrid, the Frenchman dropped only one set in four matches. In the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Fils has climbed eight spots and now sits 17th, and in the race for the Nitto ATP Finals, he’s already in fourth.
Fils notes that both opponents approach the semifinal with maximum confidence. The Italian remains unbeaten not only on clay but also on hard courts, while the Frenchman has consistently reached the latter stages of major tournaments since February. Their only head-to-head meeting took place in Montpellier in 2023, where Sinner prevailed, but since then both players have made significant progress.
Tactics and risks
In Madrid, Fils hit 87 winners and lost only one set — in the opening round against Ignacio Buse. To give Sinner a real challenge, the Frenchman will have to maintain a high tempo and avoid letting his opponent control the game from the baseline. However, a risky strategy could work both for and against him: Sinner consistently uses his opponent’s rhythm, as was evident in the quarter-final against 19-year-old Rafael Khodar.
For Fils, the task is to combine powerful shots with variety to avoid becoming predictable. The Italian has lost only two sets in his last 21 matches and continues to widen the gap from Carlos Alcaraz in the world rankings. If Fils wins, he will reach the final of a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time, marking a new stage in his career.
Season context
Sinner’s winning streak at major tournaments has already attracted attention: his Monte-Carlo final and repeat of tennis legends’ records were examined in detail in the article about his achievements on the way to the top of the rankings. Now in Madrid, the Italian can strengthen his leadership, while Fils has a chance to reach a final at this level for the first time.
