Jannik Sinner, squabble with chair judge Aurélie Tourte

Tense moments on the court in the third set of the Internazionali d’Italia semifinal between Jannik Sinner and chair umpire Aurélie Tourte after rain arrived in Rome. In the seventh game of the third partial, on the score of 4-2 for Sinner and with Daniil Medvedev at bat, it began to rain but initially the umpire decided to let the match continue.

Sinner impatient asked several times to stop: “It’s pouring, the problem is the lines, what happens if I slip on the lines. I can’t make that decision but it’s pouring.” Sinner’s continued appeals were later joined by Medvedev.

Aurélie Tourte eventually agreed to the stop: both players were in danger of injury. The match had already come to that point with a troubled history behind it. Sinner had dominated the first set 6-2 with an extraordinary approach, breaking Medvedev immediately in the first game and replicating in the third, and then being flawless on his own service turns. In the second set, however, the Blue had appeared tired and in pain, surrendering 7-5 after saving two set points in the 11th game. In the third set, Sinner had regained his lucidity, snatching the break in the third game and taking a 4-2 lead, before rain interrupted everything.

The tension in the stands had already reached very high levels before the weather stop: Jannik’s mother, Siglinde, had left the Central Court after the second set, too overcome with emotion. Sinner during the third set even called for the physiotherapist to get his thigh treated.