Jannik Sinner's homecoming after three-month suspension spoiled as Carlos Alcaraz rises the ranks
There’s only one player who is consistently beating Jannik Sinner.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated the top-ranked Sinner again, 7-6 (5), 6-1, to win his first Italian Open on Monday and add another big clay-court title to his resume.
Since the start of last year, Alcaraz is the only player to beat Sinner more than once and now he’s done it four straight times.
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“Just proud about myself, the way that I approached the match mentally. Tactically think I did it pretty well from the first to the last point,” Alcaraz said.
"I maintained my level during the whole match.”
Carlos Alcaraz celebrates victory alongside runner up Jannik Sinner at the Rome Open. Getty
Alcaraz’s victory before Sinner’s home fans at the Foro Italico snapped the Italian’s 26-match winning streak, which stretched back to October - when Alcaraz beat him in the China Open final in a third-set tiebreaker. Alcaraz now leads the career series 7-4.
“I’m just really happy to see Jannik back at this amazing level,” Alcaraz said.
“I’m sure it wasn’t easy for him coming back from three months without playing. Making the final here is something insane.”
Alcaraz also solidified his status as the favourite to defend his title at the French Open, which starts Sunday.
“On clay right now, you’re the best player,” Sinner said of his rival.
Added Alcaraz, “Beating Jannik, winning Rome. I think both things mixed together give you a great confidence coming to Paris.
"I always say that the final is not about playing, the final is about winning, to go for it. I just repeated (that to) myself all the time.”
Jannik Sinner looks on during their men's singles final match at the Rome Open. Getty
It was Sinner's first tournament back after a three-month doping ban, with his last title won at the Australian Open in January.
In February, Sinner agreed to a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency that raised questions as his suspension allowed him not to miss any Grand Slams, and come back at his home tournament.
Sinner wasted two set points on Alcaraz’s serve when he led 6-5 in the first set and then Alcaraz jumped ahead in the tiebreaker with two aces and held on to seal it before cruising in the second set.
On Alcaraz’s third match point, Sinner ran down a drop shot but Alcaraz was waiting for his reply and hit a stretch volley winner into the open court.
Alcaraz then held his hands out wide and flashed a wide smile.
The win will see Alcaraz move back up to No. 2 on the world rankings in what was his third final in three clay-court events this season.
Carlos Alcaraz shakes hands with Jannik Sinner. Getty
He won the Monte Carlo Masters and finished runner-up in the Barcelona Open before withdrawing from the Madrid Open because of injury.
Having also won the Madrid Open in 2022 and 2023, Alcaraz became the fifth man to win all three Masters 1000 clay events after Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Gustavo Kuerten and Marcelo Rios.
Sinner said he and his team went through “three months that were anything but easy, so achieving this result already here is really big” and that “we should be really proud."
He added: “We’re bringing home a very special trophy, even if I wanted the other one.”
Sinner was attempting to become the first home man to win the Italian Open since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
He was also trying to complete a sweep of the Rome singles titles for Italy after Jasmine Paolini won the women’s trophy on Sunday AEST.
Paolini and partner Sara Errani also defended their women’s doubles title earlier on Sunday, making Paolini the first woman since Monica Seles in 1990 to sweep Rome’s singles and doubles titles in the same year.
Jasmine Paolini of Italy kisses the trophy. Getty
A large number of the 10,500 fans in Campo Centrale were decked out in orange - Sinner’s theme color - and they were chanting Sinner’s name before and after the match.
“You gave me a lot of energy, lot of courage to be here on court, I tried with everything I had,” Sinner told the crowd.
"It was something very, very special. Thank you.”
Sinner also cracked a joke about offering “special thanks” to his brother, Mark, “who instead of being here decided to go to Imola to watch Formula 1.”
