Sabalenka and Sinner, parallel paths in search of making history on clay

Pedro de Pablos | 6 Apr 2026 | 09.30

Sabalenka and Sinner, parallel paths in search of making history on clay courts.

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The clay court season is already here, and both Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner have the opportunity to make history. Both players have unfinished business with clay, and in 2026, they have a golden opportunity to add several major titles to their resume that are still missing and thereby continue to fill a trophy cabinet with trophies on different surfaces.

It's no secret that clay is the least favorite surface for both Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, but they come off winning the 'Sunshine Double' simultaneously and with sky-high confidence. This puts them in a privileged position to make a statement and show that their style can also adapt perfectly to this type of courts. Especially in the case of the Italian player, who will have one more Masters 1000 than the Belarusian to achieve the feat.

Jannik Sinner, aiming to complete his collection of major titles

Sinner not only recently lifted the trophies in Indian Wells and Miami but also has the chance to dethrone Carlos Alcaraz from the top spot in the world rankings. The Spanish player has a lot of points to defend in this season, while Jannik missed half due to suspension. In fact, he could reclaim the ATP circuit throne at the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo if he achieves a good result, with the added incentive of never having won this tournament.

In fact, Sinner does not have any Masters 1000 titles on clay in his collection, and these are the only three remaining to complete the nine that make up the circuit. In Monte Carlo, his best results are the semifinals reached in 2023 and 2024, the quarterfinals in Madrid in 2024, and the final at Rome last year where he lost to Alcaraz. His mission is to successfully implement the changes he has made in his game to take a step forward and win at least one of them.

Furthermore, Jannik has never won Roland Garros, the only major tournament missing for him to achieve the 'Career Grand Slam.' Last year, he had three match points in that historic final against Alcaraz, and this year, he aims to follow in his nemesis' footsteps to complete his trophy collection in this aspect. He has been pointing out since the beginning of 2026 that this clay court season is his main objective, and now it's just a matter of translating that into good results.

Aryna Sabalenka, with unresolved matters from 2025

Her counterpart on the women's tour is Aryna Sabalenka. The world number one also has some unfinished business on clay, where one of the four WTA 1000 tournaments she has yet to win (Rome) is located. The Belarusian player, like Sinner, has rightfully earned her title as the best player on the fast courts but still has work to do on a surface where her flat shots are less effective against opponents.

Sabalenka has indeed won the Madrid WTA 1000 three times, but within clay, this tournament has the most unique conditions, as height plays a crucial role, and the courts are faster. Aryna narrowly missed winning at the Foro Italico in 2024 when she reached the final, adding to her motivation to win Roland Garros, one of the two remaining Grand Slam titles she has yet to claim (along with Wimbledon). In Paris, she was also the favorite last year but ended up losing to Coco Gauff.

Therefore, both Sinner and Sabalenka know that this must be their year. In the past month, they have been the two main names in the tennis world, and their quest for greatness involves having a successful clay court season, as failing to do so will leave them with unfinished business for 2027. It is expected that both will give their all in the coming months to prove that their dominance extends to a surface where they are more questioned.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sabalenka y Sinner, caminos paralelos en busca de hacer historia en tierra batida

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