Djokovic storms into Monte Carlo semis after six years, Sinner joins top four

In a tense quarter-final at the Monte Carlo Masters, Italy’s Jannik Sinner, ranked number two in the world, triumphed over Danish player Holger Rune with scores of 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3. Rune, who had saved two match points, was unable to secure a win against Sinner. Meanwhile, top seed Novak Djokovic secured his place in the semi-finals after defeating Australia’s 11th seed Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-4. This marks Djokovic’s first semi-final appearance at this event since 2015, making him the oldest to reach this stage in the tournament’s history. He also set a new record with his 77th Masters 1000 semi-final appearance, surpassing Rafa Nadal.

Djokovic commented on the challenging match, noting de Minaur’s speed and surprising shots. He acknowledged the match wasn’t the highest quality but was satisfied with the victory. Djokovic is set to play against Norway’s eighth seed Casper Ruud in the next round.

Rune, who had a rigorous schedule the day before, playing two matches, showed no signs of weariness against Sinner in bright sunshine, despite some tense moments with the crowd and an umpire dispute. Sinner expressed satisfaction with his performance and his ability to physically elevate his game during the match.

Sinner will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals after Tsitsipas defeated Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-2. This match was a rematch of their last year’s Australian Open semi-final. Tsitsipas, reflecting on his previous victories at Monte Carlo, shared how the tournament evoked positive memories and motivated his current performance.