Spotlight of the Week · ATP Rome Final
👑 Second man in history · Achieved in just 33 months
ATP · World No. 1 · Italian Hero · Career Golden Masters
Sinner beats Ruud 6:4 6:4 to complete the Career Golden Masters and break Djokovic's Masters winning-streak record
On May 17, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner swept Norway's Casper Ruud 6:4, 6:4 on home soil at the Foro Italico to claim the Italian Open men's singles title. The victory meant far more than an ordinary tournament win — Sinner became only the second man in history, after Novak Djokovic, to complete the Career Golden Masters, collecting all nine ATP Masters 1000 trophies.
Even more astonishing: Djokovic needed more than a decade to achieve the feat, while Sinner did it in just 33 months. At 24, he is also the youngest Golden Masters winner ever. Meanwhile, his winning streak at Masters-level events has grown to 34 matches, surpassing Djokovic's previous record of 32 and standing alone atop the history books. In the semifinals, his battle with Daniil Medvedev was suspended by rain and finished early the next morning — a testament to the resilience of a top player who can handle any disruption.
Even more astonishing: Djokovic needed more than a decade to achieve the feat, while Sinner did it in just 33 months. At 24, he is also the youngest Golden Masters winner ever. Meanwhile, his winning streak at Masters-level events has grown to 34 matches, surpassing Djokovic's previous record of 32 and standing alone atop the history books. In the semifinals, his battle with Daniil Medvedev was suspended by rain and finished early the next morning — a testament to the resilience of a top player who can handle any disruption.
34
Consecutive Masters wins (all-time record)
9/9
Career Golden Masters complete
6 in a row
Consecutive Masters titles
🌟
Milestone Roundup · Sinner Untouchable on 2026 Clay
The records Sinner rewrote this week
Became the second man in history to complete the Career Golden Masters, joining Djokovic in an exclusive club
Won 6 consecutive Masters titles (Paris, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome) — the previous all-time best was 4
First player since Rafael Nadal in 2010 to sweep all three clay-court Masters (Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome) in a single season
First Italian man to win the Italian Open since Adriano Panatta in 1976 — Panatta himself presented the trophy at the ceremony
Completed the Career Golden Masters in 33 months — seven-plus years faster than Djokovic (10+ years) — and, at 24, became its youngest winner
"This means so much to me. Winning in my own country, in this city, feeling the support of the fans... it's a feeling I can't put into words. I know what completing the Golden Masters means, but I'll need time to truly understand everything I've done."
— Jannik Sinner, after the 2026 Rome trophy ceremony
Spotlight of the Week · WTA Rome Final
🌸 Historic third title · A legend eight years in the making
WTA · Ukraine's Star · Three-Time Queen of the Foro Italico
Svitolina wins Rome for a third time! 6:4 6:7(3) 6:2 over Gauff for career title No. 20
On May 16, Ukraine's Elina Svitolina defeated American Coco Gauff — the reigning Roland Garros champion — 6:4, 6:7(3), 6:2 to capture the 20th title of her career, and her third in Rome after 2017 and 2018, completing the trifecta eight years on.
It was also Svitolina's third win over Gauff this season (one each in January, February and May), tilting their head-to-head further toward the Ukrainian. Afterward, an emotional Svitolina kissed her racquet and shed tears at the Foro Italico — she paused her career in 2022 amid the war in Ukraine, gave birth to her daughter in 2023, and has fought her way back ever since, now standing among the most successful champions in Rome's history. In the semifinals she had beaten reigning Roland Garros heavyweight Iga Swiatek, announcing to the world that she has hit peak form in 2026.
It was also Svitolina's third win over Gauff this season (one each in January, February and May), tilting their head-to-head further toward the Ukrainian. Afterward, an emotional Svitolina kissed her racquet and shed tears at the Foro Italico — she paused her career in 2022 amid the war in Ukraine, gave birth to her daughter in 2023, and has fought her way back ever since, now standing among the most successful champions in Rome's history. In the semifinals she had beaten reigning Roland Garros heavyweight Iga Swiatek, announcing to the world that she has hit peak form in 2026.
3
Rome titles (most in history)
20
Career titles
2h49m
Final match time
This Week's Headlines
Bombshell! Alcaraz out of Roland Garros with wrist injury, leaving Sinner to rule the men's draw
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz (world No. 2) announced this week that a wrist injury will keep him out of the French Open, ending his bid for a third straight title at Roland Garros. Jack Draper has also withdrawn with a knee injury. With two heavyweights absent, Sinner will enter as the top seed, and the men's draw has tilted heavily toward the Italian. Tournament organizers also confirmed the main-draw ceremony will take place on May 21 at 14:00 (Paris time), when all first-round matchups will be revealed.
Roland Garros qualifying begins May 18, with former stars chasing main-draw spots
Qualifying for the 2026 French Open got under way on May 18, with 128 men and 128 women battling for 16 main-draw spots each. This year's qualifying field has plenty of star power: former Grand Slam champions including Bianca Andreescu (2019 US Open champion) and Sloane Stephens (2017 US Open champion) appear among the wildcards and qualifying entrants. All three qualifying rounds are expected to wrap up by May 22, finalizing the main-draw field.
Swiatek falls to Svitolina in the semifinals; defending champion Gauff settles for runner-up
Poland's Iga Swiatek (world No. 3) was stopped in the WTA Rome semifinals by a red-hot Svitolina. Defending champion Coco Gauff battled into the final, where she fell just short in a three-set thriller against Svitolina to finish runner-up. Afterward, Gauff called it "valuable Roland Garros preparation" while lamenting her level in the decisive third set. The two head to Paris in very different moods — Swiatek urgently needs to rediscover her form at a Grand Slam, while Svitolina will carry serious momentum into her bid for the Roland Garros crown.
Rain-delay drama! Sinner vs. Medvedev semifinal suspended overnight before a next-morning finish
Sinner's semifinal against Daniil Medvedev was suspended late on May 16 by heavy rain, forcing the pair to resume early on the morning of May 17. Sinner battled through, then took the court for the final just hours later showing no signs of fatigue, dispatching Ruud 6:4, 6:4 — a remarkable display of his ability to sustain elite tennis under extreme physical strain. That unbreakable mentality is a key reason he has dominated the sport in 2026.
Team China
✅ All Five Headed to Roland Garros · Strongest Lineup Ever
Z
Qinwen Zheng
WTA around No. 50 · Preparing for Roland Garros
W
Xinyu Wang
WTA around No. 32 · In full preparation
Z
Shuai Zhang
WTA around No. 55
Z
Zhizhen Zhang
ATP · Entered via protected ranking
W
Yibing Wu
ATP around No. 102 · Last man in
🎉 Five Chinese players have all earned direct entry into the 2026 Roland Garros main draw — a record number for Chinese tennis in singles at the French Open in recent years. Zhizhen Zhang got in via the protected ranking rule, while Yibing Wu (around world No. 102) claimed one of the very last spots, underscoring the major leap forward by Chinese men's tennis as a whole.
🔭 The draw ceremony takes place on May 21, when all five players' matchups will be revealed. The biggest question on everyone's mind: can Qinwen Zheng land a favorable draw, avoid a seed in the first round, and give herself room to build momentum? After a round-of-32 exit in Rome, she urgently needs a statement run in the Roland Garros main draw.
💪 Xinyu Wang has endured a string of setbacks this season, but backing down has never been in her nature — and Roland Garros clay has always suited her game. Look for her to find her rhythm once the draw is out. As for Yibing Wu, a newcomer to the men's draw in Paris, simply appearing on this stage for the first time is a breakthrough in itself.
🔭 The draw ceremony takes place on May 21, when all five players' matchups will be revealed. The biggest question on everyone's mind: can Qinwen Zheng land a favorable draw, avoid a seed in the first round, and give herself room to build momentum? After a round-of-32 exit in Rome, she urgently needs a statement run in the Roland Garros main draw.
💪 Xinyu Wang has endured a string of setbacks this season, but backing down has never been in her nature — and Roland Garros clay has always suited her game. Look for her to find her rhythm once the draw is out. As for Yibing Wu, a newcomer to the men's draw in Paris, simply appearing on this stage for the first time is a breakthrough in itself.
Roland Garros Seeding Preview (Ahead of the Draw Ceremony)
🎾 ATP Roland Garros Seed Projections
| 1 | 🇮🇹Sinner | Title favorite | ↑↑ |
| 2 | 🇩🇪Zverev | World No. 3 | ↑ |
| 3 | 🇷🇸Djokovic | World No. 4 | — |
| 4 | 🇨🇦Auger-A. | World No. 5 | — |
| 5 | 🇳🇴Ruud | Rome runner-up | ↑ |
🎾 WTA Roland Garros Seed Projections
| 1 | 🇧🇾Sabalenka | Top seed | — |
| 2 | 🇰🇿Rybakina | Madrid champion | ↑ |
| 3 | 🇵🇱Swiatek | World No. 3 | — |
| 4 | 🇺🇸Gauff | Defending champion | — |
| 7 | 🇺🇦Svitolina | Rome champion↑ | ↑3 |
※ Roland Garros seeds are based on the May 18 ATP/WTA rankings; Alcaraz (injured) and Draper (injured) are excluded. Seedings will be confirmed after the May 21 draw ceremony.
Sinner vs. Djokovic · Golden Masters, Head to Head with History
What to Watch Next Week
🏆 The Wait Is Almost Over · Roland Garros 2026 Set to Begin
French Open · Main-Draw Ceremony
French Open Qualifying · Final Rounds
French Open · Roland-Garros 2026 Main Draw Begins
Qinwen Zheng · Can she open with a first-round win at Roland Garros?
Can Sinner pull off the historic double: Roland Garros plus the Golden Masters?