When Jannik Sinner plays in Rome: first practice set
Today Jannik Sinner will officially open his run at the Internazionali d’Italia, finally returning to the court at the Foro Italico after a few days dedicated exclusively to athletic work. Arriving in Rome on Monday, May 4, the world number 1 ranking player has in fact chosen to focus on physical preparation, postponing his first contact with the Capitoline clay. Barring changes due to weather, the appointment is set for 5 p.m., when the Italian will hold his first official training session.
Sinner comes to the capital on the strength of an extraordinary season so far. Successes in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid certify an exceptional state of form, also confirmed by a record of 29 wins and just two losses in 2026. To make his path even more significant are the five consecutive Masters 1000s won and a “Sunshine Double” dominated without particular difficulty. The technical goal now seems clear: to complete the “Clay Slam” by winning all the major events on clay, a feat achieved by Rafael Nadal in 2010. In this context, the forfeit of Carlos Alcaraz, who was forced to stop due to a wrist problem, also weighs heavily.
The focus remains, however, on Saturday, May 9, the date scheduled for the official debut of the South Tyrolean champion. As early as today, Sinner will find out the name of his first opponent, who will emerge from the confrontation between Sebastian Ofner and Alex Michelsen. The scoreboard, however, does not allow for any margin of tranquility: in the third round there could be a new challenge with Jakub Mensik, the last player capable of defeating him this season, while in the round of 16 there is a possible crossroads with Arthur Fils, fresh from his triumph in Barcelona and eager to redeem the heavy defeat suffered in Madrid.
Curiously, it could be precisely the first rounds that hide the biggest pitfalls. Indeed, the limited time to adapt to the conditions at the Foro Italico represents a variable that should not be underestimated. Today, Sinner will play a 90-minute session on Court 14, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., which is crucial to quickly regain the right feeling with a clay that is very different from the one in Madrid. Indeed, the slower and wetter Roman surface imposes specific adaptation times: this will probably be the real test to overcome in the first days of the tournament.
