Jannik Sinner is on the verge of making Italian tennis history, and he's doing it in style. The 22-year-old sensation stormed into the Italian Open semi-finals with a commanding 6-2, 6-4 victory over world No. 14 Andrey Rublev on Thursday, and in the process, he broke a record held by none other than Novak Djokovic.

That's right—Sinner has now won 32 consecutive matches at Masters 1000 events, surpassing Djokovic's previous mark. These tournaments are the biggest outside of the Grand Slams, so this streak is nothing short of extraordinary. "I don't play for records. I play just for my own story," Sinner said after the match. "But obviously, it means a lot to me."

With this win, Sinner stands just two victories away from becoming the first Italian man to win the Italian Open in nearly 50 years. The last home-grown champion was Adriano Panatta back in 1976, and Panatta himself is set to present the trophy on Sunday. Italy's President Sergio Mattarella is also expected to attend the final, adding even more weight to the moment.

For Sinner, this tournament is personal. "It's a special tournament for me," he said, and the crowd certainly felt the same way. The 10,500-seat Campo Centrale was a sea of orange—Sinner's signature color—with nearly every fan cheering him on. One group even held up a sign reading, "Sinner, Facce Sogna"—"Sinner, Make us dream."

Last year, Sinner fell short in the Rome final against Carlos Alcaraz, who is now sidelined with a wrist injury. But this year feels different. Sinner has been in dominant form, breaking serve in the opening game against Rublev for the third straight match. Even when Rublev briefly broke back late in the second set, Sinner quickly regained control and closed out the match with poise.

"It was a bit breezy, a bit windy, so it was very tough conditions," Sinner explained. "I felt we both didn't play at our best today." Still, his best was more than enough.

Sinner's incredible run at Masters events dates back to last October, when he retired due to cramps in Shanghai. Since then, he hasn't looked back. With the French Open starting in just 10 days, Sinner is not only a force in Rome—he's shaping up to be a serious contender at Roland Garros as well.