The Rome Masters has kicked off its qualifying rounds, with newly crowned Madrid champion Jannik Sinner set to support his home event. This tournament remains the only Masters 1000 title missing from his collection.
Looking at the numbers, Sinner’s efficiency in winning major tournaments over recent years is striking. Among all 14 elite events—four Grand Slams, nine Masters 1000s, and the ATP Finals—he has claimed 12 different titles, leaving only the back-to-back Rome Masters and Roland Garros to conquer. His 15 major titles span 12 distinct tournaments, showcasing a remarkable spread of success.
How do the Big Four and Carlos Alcaraz compare in this metric?
Novak Djokovic, the ultimate master, has the fewest titles at Monte Carlo, followed by three each at Roland Garros and Cincinnati. He holds an unmatched record: the Golden Masters and a triple Career Grand Slam. His most prolific event is the Australian Open with 10 titles, while he boasts an incredible seven each at Wimbledon, the Paris Masters, and the ATP Finals.
Rafael Nadal is missing three titles: Miami, Paris Masters, and the ATP Finals. However, he has double-digit wins at three tournaments—14 at Roland Garros, 11 at Monte Carlo, and 10 at Rome—and has achieved a double Career Grand Slam.
Roger Federer falls short by two, notably Monte Carlo and Rome, events where Nadal thrived. A generation of great rivals, indeed. Without Nadal’s dominance on clay, Federer would likely have secured a double Golden Masters at least. His sole Roland Garros title still gave him a Career Grand Slam.
Andy Murray, often called the fourth member of the Big Four, currently shares with Alcaraz a deficit of four major titles, including the Australian Open and Roland Garros. His 16 major titles have been matched by the younger generation.
Alcaraz is missing four tournament titles, all on hard courts in the second half of the season. His winning efficiency rivals Sinner’s, but he has defended titles more often, including back-to-back at Indian Wells and Madrid, as well as consecutive wins at Roland Garros and Wimbledon—feats not even Federer or Djokovic accomplished.
Sinner has multiple titles at two tournaments each: the Australian Open, Miami, and the ATP Finals, spanning all three categories. With Alcaraz sidelined from the clay season, Djokovic rusty, and others lacking breakthroughs, the only one who might stop Sinner from achieving a Career Grand Slam and Golden Masters is himself.
