Carlos Alcaraz proved too strong for local favourite Jannik Sinner in the final of the Italian Open in Rome, securing victory with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 scoreline.
Competing in his first tournament since a three-month doping ban settlement, Sinner pushed the first set to a tiebreak. However, Alcaraz gained a crucial 3-0 advantage in the tiebreak before closing it out 7-5.
The second set saw a dominant performance from Alcaraz, who quickly built a 5-0 lead. Sinner was unable to mount a comeback, and Alcaraz served out the match comfortably.
Following Jasmine Paolini`s success in the women`s final the previous day, Italy had hoped for a historic sweep of the singles titles in Rome. However, the wait for a home-grown men`s champion continues; Adriano Panatta remains the last Italian man to lift the trophy, back in 1976.
Alcaraz has demonstrated consistent dominance against Sinner recently, being the only player to defeat him multiple times since the beginning of the previous year. This win marks Alcaraz`s fourth consecutive victory over the Italian, extending his career head-to-head lead to 7-4.
Alcaraz`s triumph at the Foro Italico brings an end to Sinner`s impressive 26-match winning streak, which dated back to their encounter in the China Open final last October, a match also won by Alcaraz in a third-set tiebreaker.
This victory solidifies Alcaraz`s position as a strong contender to defend his title at the upcoming French Open, set to begin next Sunday.
This was Sinner`s first competitive appearance since winning his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January. His return followed a February settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency concerning a doping ban, a topic that drew attention due to the timing allowing him to compete in his home tournament without missing any Grand Slams.
A significant portion of the 10,500 spectators at Campo Centrale, many adorned in Sinner`s signature orange, vocally supported the home player from the start. However, Sinner missed two set points on Alcaraz`s serve while leading 6-5 in the first set, a crucial turning point that allowed Alcaraz to take the tiebreak and control the rest of the match.
As a result of reaching his third clay-court final this season (winning Monte Carlo, runner-up in Barcelona, and withdrawing from Madrid due to injury), Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, is set to climb back to world No. 2 in the rankings on Monday.
Adding to his accolades, having also won the Madrid Open in 2022 and 2023, Alcaraz now joins an exclusive group of players who have won all three Masters 1000 events on clay. This elite list includes Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Gustavo Kuerten, and Marcelo Rios.
