Italian tennis fans did not get the full wish. Jasmine Paolini took the title on the women's side of the Italian Open, but Jannik Sinner could not complete the feat on the men's side on Sunday. Carlos Alcaraz might not be ranked as the ATP No. 1, but he is still the best player on clay.
Winning in Rome might have been asking too much of Sinner. He had not played in three months due to a suspension for failing two drug tests during the Indian Wells Masters in March 2024. While he was fit, he might not yet be in his best tennis shape.
Alcaraz might be better on clay even if Sinner had not taken any time off. The young Spaniard won the French Open last year and has won 83 percent of his matches on the surface. Sinner is not a bad player, but better on a hard court. He still has the advantage against Alcaraz there.
Carlos Alcaraz defeats Jannik Sinner to win the Italian Open
After a tight first set that Alcaraz won in a tie-break 7-5, he upped his game in the second set, and the Italian was no match. The Spaniard broke Sinner two straight times to get a lead of 5-0. Sinner held to make the set 5-1, but there was no doubt about who would win the tournament. It all belonged to Alcaraz, and he took the final 7-6(5) 6-1.
In the second set, Alcaraz displayed his ability to play the angles extremely well. Sinner got to balls that most players would not, but he was put in a position where Alcaraz would win the point. It was a stunning performance.
The match might also preview what fans see at the French Open. Sinner will be the top seed because of his ranking, and Alcaraz will be ranked No. 2 (moving up in the rankings because of his win in Rome).