Jannik Sinner wrapped up a spot in his first final in Madrid on Friday and extended his Masters 1000 win streak to 27 matches.

The world No. 1 was on fire in an 86-minute defeat of Frenchman Arthur Fils, with the 6-2, 6-4 scoreline moving him to one more match win of claiming titles at an unprecedented five Masters events in a row.

The Italian’s streak in the elite ATP series began with an indoor trophy last November in Paris and has continued this season with more of the same at Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo a month ago.

Sinner dispatched Fils on his first match point after breaking in the previous game with an explosive backhand winner down the line to cap a 24-shot rally.

“In the first set I tried to play very aggressive,” Sinner said. “I was feeling very comfortable in the returns.”In the second set he served better and it was more difficult for me. But I’m happy in general with the performance today, I’m trying to play the best tennis that I can.”

The Italian called his showing “a good day at the office.”

I’m happy that I played him, winning means a lot to me. I tried to play in the best possible way

Sinner will face off in Sunday’s final in the Spanish capital against either two-time champion Alexander Zverev, seeded third, or Belgian outsider Alexander Blockx.   

Casper Ruud’s Madrid Masters title defence was laid to waste on Thursday as the Norwegian found his way impeded by Belgian outsider Alexander Blockx 6-4, 6-4.

The world No. 69 winner powered into the smei-fibals on the clay of the Spanish capital, posting one of the biggest wins of his career.

Blockx is new to clay success, never winning a match on the surface until a fortnight ago when he booked into the Monte Carlo quarters where he lost to Alex de Minaur.

Prior to his upset loss, Ruud had dropped just five games at the Caja Magica in his first two matches before outlasting Stefanos Tsitsipas in a struggle of three tiebreak sets.

The loss sends Ruud out of the ranking top 20 for the first time in five years.

Blockx added the two-time Roland Garros finalist to a Madrid upset list which also includes Felix Auger-Aliassime.

“I’m just happy with being here. I barely escaped in the first round, and I was happy about that already. 

“Semi-finals is something I wouldn’t have even dreamed of to begin with,” Blockx said. .

“I’m proud of how I’ve played these past couple of matches. I think the conditions suit me well here. I feel like it’s clay which is slow, so I have time to settle and hit my shots, go for my shots.”

Ruud lost in 96 minutes; Blockx will wait for a  semi-final opponent as second-seeded two-time Madrid champion Alexander Zverev faces Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.

Alexander Zverev backed up a win this month over Flavio Cobolli and moved into elite ATP company as the third seed reached another semi-final at the Madrid Masters on Thursday.

The German’s 6-4, 6-1 win boosted him alongside Roger Federer (2006), Rafael Nadal (2010, 2011) and Jannik Sinner (2026) as only the fourth man to reach the semi-finals at each of the first four Masters 1000 events of the season since the series began in 1990.

The two-time Madrid champion reached the final four on the back of eight aces to complete his third top 20 win of the season.