Jannik Sinner shifts gears after rough start: first set of final in Rome is his

Jannik Sinner won the first set of the final of the Internazionali d’Italia.

It was not easy, however, to overcome in the first game fraction a Casper Ruud who initially seemed to be so indemoniac that he was able to go immediately up 2-0. Having regained his usual strokes, however, Sinner not only put the set back on its feet but also dominated the final, winning it 6-4 after 49 minutes.

Sinner reached the final by overcoming, in order, Sebastian Ofner, Alexei Popyrin, Andrea Pellegrino, Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev, losing a set only to the latter. Ruud, on the other hand, has beaten Zachary Svajda, Jiri Lehecka, Lorenzo Musetti, Karen Khachanov and Luciano Darderi on his way.

Sinner and Ruud have met four times before today, with the South Tyrolean always coming out on top in head-to-head matches: the first precedent dates back to 2020, a 7-6(2), 6-3 win in favor of the Azzurro in Vienna at the level of the round of 16. Also in Vienna, in 2021, the two met in the quarters, with Sinner winning 7-5, 6-1.

The next match between the two, however, had to wait until 2024: 6-1, 6-2 for Sinner in a no-appeal semifinal at the ATP Finals. In 2025, the last direct clash, again with success for the Sesto Pusteria outfielder, who won in the quarterfinals of the Internazionali d’Italia with a very clear 6-0, 6-1.