Jannik Sinner has several things he could achieve heading into the 2026 Rome Masters. Should he win the title, he would have won all nine of the Masters 1000 events, becoming the youngest man (he's 24) to ever do so. He would also be winning his sixth-straight Masters title, extending his own record. But would Alexei Popyrin make it difficult for him in the third round?
Not really. While the Aussie leads the ATP tour in ace percentage at nearly 16 percent, Sinner is likely the best returner in current men's tennis. His ability to turn from defense to offense in a matter of one shot is astonishing. Popyrin learned that again in the first game as he was broken.
The Australian player has defeated the Italian once, but that came in 2021. Since. Sinner has become one of the two most dominant players on the ATP tour, and with Carlos Alcaraz currently out with a wrist injury, Sinner is the odds-on favorite to win every tournament he enters.
Jannik Sinner dominates poor Alexei Popyrin at the 2026 Italian Open
In the first set, Popyrin had no aces but three double faults. He landed just 46 percent of his first serves. He was broken twice as Sinner took set one 6-2.
The second set was simply a nightmare for the Australian. He landed more of his first serves, but was broken twice and, in just a matter of minutes, was down 0-4. He kept getting pushed off the court by Sinner hitting the ball so deeply. Popyrin was powerless to do anything as the Italian was playing with brutal efficiency.
While defeating Sinner is not easy for any player, beating him when he is in top form is likely impossible for anyone not named Carlos Alcaraz. Even then, it's doubtful.
By the fifth game of the second set, Alexei Popyrin was beaten physically and mentally. He was broken yet again, and then Sinner held to take set two 6-0. The manner of the beating was astonishing even for a player as great as Sinner. He has now won 30 straight Masters 1000 matches.
Jannik Sinner will next face another Italian in the round of 16. His opponent will be Andrea Pellegrino, who qualified to enter the Italian Open, and who, at 29 years old, only had a career record of 4-5 entering Rome. In other words, Sinner, of course, will be heavily favored.
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