As all tennis lovers know, it takes more than one set to win a match. Starting exceedingly well, such as Jannik Sinner did in his semifinal match of the 2026 Monte-Carlo Masters against Alexander Zverev, doesn't a match victory make. Sinner wouldn't be able to afford a dip in form, and in the end, he didn't.
To be sure, though, the Italian was at his best in the first set. He wasn't even serving pristinely, but he kept forcing Zverev to play in the middle of the court, limiting the taller player's ability to create angles, and then finishing the German off with Sinner's own attack of the angles.
Sinner never faced a break point in the first set, even though he landed just 31 percent of his first serves. This was mostly due to his winning 70 percent of his second serves. He wasn't just physically better than the German; he was playing smarter, and seemingly better prepared.
Jannik Sinner dominates Alexander Zverev at the 2026 Monte-Carlo Masters
Shockingly, Zverev landed 65 percent of his first serves, but won only three of those 15 points. One might have difficulty remembering when Zverev was being so dominated on his own serve, which ranks among the best on the ATP tour.
Still, while Jannik Sinner was in his top form, a level only consistently rivaled by Carlos Alcaraz in the current men's game, he also couldn't suffer any dips. Alexander Zverev would surely take advantage and get back to even if the ATP No. 2 stopped playing so well.
That didn't happen, not completely. As the two players traded holds for most of the second set, though Zverev was pressed a bit more in a couple of his service games, one might have assumed we were headed to a tie-break. Sinner would have still been favored even then, but the German was playing better.
Serving at 4-5, though, Alexander Zverev found himself down 15-30 when Jannik Sinner hit the shot of the match. As the two players kept testing each other with forehands, Zverev hit a shot in the corner to Sinner's backhand that most players wouldn't have been able to return.
Instead, the Italian got to the ball and laced a backhand winner down the line. He broke on the next point to take the set 6-4, and moved into the final.
He will next face the winner of the Carlos Alcaraz and Valentin Vacherot match. Alcaraz should win, but Vacherot will have the Monaco crowd firmly behind the hometown favorite. Should Alcaraz lose, Sinner would move back to No. 1 in the live ATP rankings.