World No.1 Jannik Sinner admitted that young prodigy Rafael Jodar pushed him to the limit during their Mutua Madrid Open quarterfinal clash on Wednesday. The Italian registered a 6-2, 7-6 win against the Spaniard to move to the semifinal of the tournament.

The World No. 1 extended his winning streak to 21 matches after going past the youngster in a one-hour, 55-minute victory. Sinner was able to defend all seven break points he faced against the Spaniard.

“He pushed me to the limit,” Sinner said of Jodar. “He’s an incredible player. I tried to be ready as much as I could. But I’m incredibly happy. It was a very high quality match. I got a bit lucky in the second set, but also [had] a bit of experience. I’m obviously very happy to be in the semis here for the first time. It means a lot to me.”

Sinner is aiming to become the first man in history to claim five consecutive Masters 1000 crowns.

On the other hand, Jodar admitted it was a tough game for him, but he learned a lot after playing against the best in the business.

“It was a tough match,” Jodar said. “Jannik played really well throughout. I take away a lot of positives, I’ve learnt a lot from this match. There were times in which I competed head to head with him. I have a long road ahead to keep proving my level. I will take those positives with me. I’ve played a lot of matches here in Madrid and Barcelona. I’ll try to rest, recover well and think about the next tournaments.”

The youngster said Sinner was able to win the crucial points in the match.

“Jannik is a very complete player and he shows that in the key moments of the match. He knows how to demonstrate a lot of confidence,” said Jodar.

Sinner will next face Arthur Fils in the semifinals in Madrid.