New Delhi: World No.1 Jannik Sinner is through to the final of the Italian Open after a thrilling three-set win over Tommy Paul in Rome. The Italian came from a set down to beat the American 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 to book a blockbuster clash with Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday. With this triumph he even became the youngest man to reach seven consecutive finals since Ivan Lendl in 1982.
Despite his red-hot form and a dominant quarter-final performance against Casper Ruud, Sinner looked a shadow of himself in the opening set. Paul was sharp from the very start, attacking with depth and forcing Sinner into early mistakes. The crowd at Campo Centrale was quiet most of the time as the American took full control, breaking early and wrapping up the first set in just over half an hour.
The 23-year-old made a comeback after struggling to find the rhythm early on and turned the tide in his favour in remarkable fashion. Sinner regrouped mentally, cut down the unforced errors and began stepping onto the court with more authority. The second set saw him thrashing Paul 6-0 as he rediscovered his trademark aggression and energy.
With momentum now on his side, chants of “Olé, Olé, Olé, Sinner!” roared from the stands as fans got behind their man. The final set wasn’t without its drama as Sinner stormed to a 3-0 lead before Paul clawed back to 3-2, but another key break from the Italian settled the nerves. From there, Sinner closed it out in an hour and 44 minutes, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Roaring back to victory 〽️@janniksin becomes the 3rd Italian man in the Open Era to reach the #IBI25 final with his 3-set win over Paul! pic.twitter.com/k3xPTMOe3Y
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) May 16, 2025
Injuries, atmosphere and mental toughness
After the match, Sinner revealed he has been dealing with a minor blister on his foot since the third round, which slightly affected his movement in certain areas. He also admitted that the colder conditions made it tougher to settle in, but staying mentally locked in proved to be the difference.
“Today was all about staying present,” he said. “It was heavier, colder, and not easy to play from the start. I tried to fight through it and I’m happy I managed to turn things around.”
The win marked Sinner’s 26th consecutive match victory and confirmed his place in a mouthwatering final against Alcaraz. The Spaniard earlier defeated Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets to set up a tenth career meeting between the two young stars.
Familiar foes, new chapter
Sinner and Alcaraz are no strangers to big matches. They have split their clay-court meetings at one apiece, and Alcaraz currently holds a 6-4 edge in their overall head-to-head. Their most recent battle came in the Roland Garros semi-final last year, where the Spaniard edged out Sinner in four sets.
For Sinner, Sunday’s final is about more than just revenge as it’s a shot at becoming only the second Italian man to win the Rome title after Adriano Panatta in 1976. He’s also aiming to lift his fifth ATP Masters 1000 trophy and his first on clay.
“Carlos is playing incredible tennis,” Sinner said. “It’s always special to face him. We know each other well, so it’s going to come down to the small details.”
With the crowd behind him and momentum on his side, the stage is set for a classic final in Rome.
Jannik Sinner will face Carlos Alcaraz in the Italian Open final, aiming to become the first Italian man to reach the Rome title match since 1978. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
