Jannik Sinner overcomes 'mental' battle and injury concern to beat Tommy Paul and set up a heavyweight Italian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz
Updated 17/05/2025 at 07:51 GMT+1
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Jannik Sinner overcame a leg injury to dispatch Tommy Paul and make it to the Italian Open final, where he will face world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner lost the first set 6-1, before clicking into gear and easing to victory in front of a home crowd in Rome. The world No. 1 is looking to become the first Italian men’s singles winner at the Italian Open in 49 years.
Highlights: Sinner beats Paul to set up heavyweight Italian Open final against Alcaraz
Video credit: TNT Sports
Jannik Sinner overcame a leg injury to beat Tommy Paul in three sets and set up an Italian Open final with Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner beat Paul 1-6 6-0 6-3 to claim his 26th consecutive victory - a streak that was interrupted by a three-month suspension he agreed with the World Anti-Doping Agency.
His latest win has set up a heavyweight final on Sunday against world No. 3 Alcaraz, who laboured to a 6-3 7-6(4) victory earlier on Friday.
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"I just tried to stay there mentally," Sinner said via ATP. "Today the conditions were different. It was much colder, heavier.
"I struggled with that a little bit and he broke me straight away. I tried to stay there, mentally what might work better.
"I stayed there in the first set. Winning the one game was very important. Tennis can change quickly. Today I showed that every moment is crucial and I am very happy about that and very happy to be in the final."
Sinner went into the game with American 11th seed Paul having not dropped a set throughout the tournament, a run that included a stunning 6-0 6-1 victory over Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals.Â
Yet, Paul defied all pre-game expectations, breaking Sinner twice early on to speed into a 5-0 first-set lead and silence the Foro Italico crowd.
Sinner finally got on the board after 25 minutes, only for Paul to come back and take the set 6-1 in 28 minutes.
But, as if having flicked a switch, the world No. 1 came roaring back in the second set, claiming an emphatic 6-0 win to level the scores at a set apiece.
Sinner then broke Paul twice at the start of the third to take a resounding 3-0 lead. It was his ninth game in succession.
At this juncture, however, the Italian appeared to feel discomfort in his leg, which provided Paul with a brief resurgence. The American earned a break of his own to put the game back on serve at 3-2.
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But Sinner battled through the pain to win the set 6-3 and take the match.
"Since the third round I have had a small blister under my foot," Sinner said on his movement issues in the match's closing stages. "It doesn't allow me to move well at some moments.
"Today I felt it more than yesterday. And with the leg I am not concerned. It was just a bit tight. That is normal. I have to take care of this blister but there are no excuses.
"With the adrenaline there will be a lot of energy and for Sunday I am 100 per cent not concerned."
Sinner will be looking to end Italy’s 49-year wait for a men’s singles winner at the Italian Open when he takes on Alcaraz in the final. Adriano Panatta was the last home men’s champion back in 1976.
Elsewhere, Jasmine Paolini is hoping to break a 40-year dry spell for Italian women when she takes on Coco Gauff in the final on Saturday.
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