Sinner has won 45 of his past 47 matches across all tournaments since suffering his last defeat at a Masters 1000 tournament, when he was forced to retire from his third-round match in Shanghai.

He has triumphed at that level in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo and Madrid this year, following victory in Paris in November, winning 64 of the 66 sets he has contested during his record-breaking run.

With his victory in Madrid earlier this month, he became the first player in history to win five consecutive Masters 1000 titles – just two weeks later he is closing in on a sixth.

And so, while he may not have records at the forefront of his mind, his achievements continue to draw comparisons with the greats.

Overall, he has claimed 121 wins from 150 matches at ATP 1000 level, with only 22-time major winner Nadal (123) boasting a better record since the format’s introduction in 1990.

Keen to deliver for his passionate home crowd, he will now seek two more victories as he attempts to become the first Italian men’s singles champion in Rome since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago.