Sinner reaches Madrid Open final by beating Arthur Fils for 350th career victory

MADRID (AP) — Top-ranked Jannik Sinner extended his winning streak to 22 matches by beating Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4 to reach the final of the Madrid Open on Friday.

The Italian's 350th career victory makes him the first man born in the 2000s to reach that milestone.

“I’m very happy about the general performance today. I’m trying to play the best possible tennis. Today was a very good day in the office,” Sinner said in an on-court interview after not facing a break point in the semifinal.

Sinner, trying to become the first man to win five consecutive Masters 1000 tournaments, will face third-ranked Alexander Zverev or Belgium’s Alexander Blockx in Sunday's final.

Sinner also joined an elite list with Friday's win: He's the fourth and youngest man to reach the final at all nine Masters 1000 events, after Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

The world No. 1 broke Fils’ serve twice in the first set and came under pressure at 30-30 in the sixth game of the second set before holding serve with back-to-back aces to get to 3-3.

Sinner got the key break with a backhand winner down the line for a 5-4 lead before serving out the match against the Frenchman.

Sinner's winning run has included titles in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo.

In the women's event, Mirra Andreeva will face Marta Kostyuk in Saturday's final.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

France's Arthur Fils returns the ball to Italy's Jannik Sinner during their men's singles semifinal match at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns the ball to France's Arthur Fils during their men's singles semifinal match at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

France's Arthur Fils returns the ball to Italy's Jannik Sinner during their men's singles semifinal match at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns the ball to France's Arthur Fils during their men's singles semifinal match at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish authorities detained over 500 May Day demonstrators on Friday for attempting to march in areas declared off-limits.

Protests marking International Workers’ Day, a national holiday in Turkey, are frequently marred by clashes with authorities, which have declared Istanbul’s central Taksim Square a no-go area for protesters on security grounds. More than 30 people were killed in violence at the square during May Day protests in 1977.

On Friday, small groups of protesters kept popping up around Taksim Square, attempting to breach the police blockade, holding union banners and chanting for the square to be reopened.

The main gathering point was the nearby Mecidiyekoy district, where hundreds of participants were met with water cannons and pepper spray before being detained.

The detentions come a day after Turkey’s top Constitutional Court ruled that three people who were detained for 58 days in 2024 on May Day had their right to peaceful assembly violated, setting a precedent for May Day protests.

The Istanbul governor’s office said that the public had been informed of the safety precautions beforehand. “Certain marginal groups dismissed the precautions, and clashed with police officers as they do every year,” it said, adding that 575 people were detained by 6 p.m. Friday.

Turkish police officers stand guard as union members try to march towards Taksim square in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, May 1, 2026, during Labor Day celebrations. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

A woman shouts at Turkish police officers as union members try to march towards Taksim square in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, May 1, 2026, during Labor Day celebrations. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

An union member is detained by a Turkish police officer as people try to march towards Taksim square in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, May 1, 2026, during Labor Day celebrations. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Union members scuffle with Turkish police officers as they try to march towards Taksim square in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, May 1, 2026, during Labor Day celebrations. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Union members scuffle with Turkish police officers as they try to march towards Taksim square in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, May 1, 2026, during Labor Day celebrations. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)