Alexander Zverev set for another crack at Jannik Sinner, reaches Madrid final

Match Report

Zverev set for another crack at Sinner, reaches Madrid final

German defeats 21-year-old Blockx

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Alexander Zverev is chasing his third Madrid crown. By Sam Jacot

Alexander Zverev is set for yet another high-stakes clash with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

The German booked his place in the Mutua Madrid Open final with a composed 6-2, 7-5 win against 21-year-old Belgian Alexander Blockx on Friday night, maintaining his standout record at the event. With his 30th victory in the Spanish capital, Zverev became just the third man, alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, to reach the final in Madrid on four occasions.

"I am very happy to be in the final," Zverev said. "There were a lot of tough battles, especially at the start of the tournament. I am looking forward to playing Jannik again and looking forward to a tough match. The better player will win on Sunday."

The second seed dispatched Flavio Cobolli for the loss of just five games in the quarter-finals and carried that momentum into his meeting with first-time Masters 1000 semi-finalist Blockx, who had not won a tour-level clay-court match prior to April.

From the outset, Zverev imposed himself. The second seed opened his shoulders to hit through Blockx in the lively conditions, while he was also the more consistent player in the longer exchanges. After one hour and 35 minutes, the seven-time Masters 1000 champion had secured his first final of the season and a familiar appointment with Sinner.

Sunday’s showdown marks the fifth consecutive Masters 1000 meeting between Zverev and Sinner. The Italian has won all four of their latest encounters at this level – semi-finals in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo – without dropping a single set, a streak that has helped his return to World No. 1 and put him on the brink of history. No player has ever claimed five straight Masters 1000 titles in series history (since 1990).

However, Zverev will take encouragement from his experience in Madrid, where he is a two-time champion. Eight-time Masters 1000 champion Sinner, by contrast, arrives in uncharted territory. This is the Italian’s first final at the clay-court event.

"He is quite a relaxed guy and he is enjoying tennis right now," Zverev said when asked about Sinner. "I think tennis is very easy for him right now, the way he is playing. Maybe on Sunday I will make it a bit more difficult for him... The last eight times I didn't win much. He is the best player in the world for sure and I will try to give him a tough battle."

Zverev raced through the first set against Blockx and then was forced to remain patient in an engaging second set. The Belgian, who competed at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals, fended off seven break points before Zverev gained the crucial breakthrough in the 11th game. The German rallied back from 0/40 in the game and then earned the key break thanks to a lucky net cord. The World No. 3 served out without any concern to triumph.

Blockx leaves Madrid up 34 spots to No. 35 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. The 21-year-old earned Top 20 wins against Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud and Francisco Cerundolo to become just the third Belgian Masters 1000 semi-finalist in history.

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