Jannik Sinner continues winning run while Coco Gauff overcomes illness scare
Madrid
World number one Jannik Sinner continued his dominant run at the Madrid Open, advancing to the round of 16 with a comfortable straight-sets win, while American star Coco Gauff showed remarkable resilience to fight through illness and stay alive in the tournament.
Sinner extended his winning streak to 19 matches with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Danish qualifier Elmer Moller in just 77 minutes at the Caja Magica. The Italian, who is chasing a maiden clay Masters 1000 title, controlled the match from the start, breaking serve four times and barely facing trouble on his own delivery.
The top seed has now won 24 consecutive Masters 1000 matches, underlining his consistency at the highest level. Despite not yet securing a major clay title at this level, Sinner continues to look increasingly comfortable on the surface as the tournament progresses.
He will next face Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the round of 16, with confidence high following another composed performance. Sinner said his focus remained on staying calm and serving effectively in key moments, which he identified as the key to his victory.
Elsewhere in the draw, Lorenzo Musetti also advanced with a straight-sets win over Tallon Griekspoor, setting up an intriguing clash with Jiri Lehecka.
However, the biggest talking point of the day came from Gauff’s gritty performance. The world number three struggled visibly due to a stomach virus that has been affecting several players in Madrid this week.
Despite vomiting during the match and requiring medical attention, Gauff managed to overcome Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in a physically draining two-hour battle. At one point, she looked in severe discomfort but continued to fight through each game.
Gauff admitted after the match that she was unsure how she completed the contest, but said her determination to avoid withdrawing kept her going. She added that she is hoping to recover quickly as the tournament progresses.
The illness outbreak has already impacted several players, including withdrawals and retirements earlier in the week, adding an unexpected challenge to the Madrid draw.
Gauff, who was runner-up in Madrid last year, will now face Linda Noskova in the next round as she attempts to balance recovery with her push for deep progress in the tournament.