ROME (AP) — Jannik Sinner’s winning streak reached 25 matches after beating Alexei Popyrin 6-2, 6-0 before his home fans in the third round of the Italian Open on Monday.
The top-ranked Sinner set the tone when he broke 60th-ranked Popyrin in the opening game.
Sinner is heavily favored to win the Rome tournament with Carlos Alcaraz sidelined due to a right wrist injury.
Sinner hasn’t lost since Feb. 19, to Jakub Mensik in the Qatar Open quarterfinals.
He’ll next face a fellow Italian, qualifier Andrea Pellegrino, who beat Frances Tiafoe.
If Sinner raises the trophy in Rome, he’ll become the second man after Novak Djokovic to triumph at all nine Masters 1000 events. Djokovic has won each event at least twice.
Sinner has won five straight Masters events and has the second-most consecutive wins at that level with 30. Djokovic has the record of 31.
Earlier, Coco Gauff saved a match point in the second set of a 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 victory over fellow American Iva Jovic to reach the quarterfinals.
Gauff also survived in the previous round from falling behind by two breaks in the third set against Solana Sierra.
Gauff reached the Rome final last year and is preparing to defend her French Open title.
Roland Garros starts on May 24.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
