World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz becomes the first man to win three titles on tour this season by capturing his maiden crown in Rome, his seventh at the Masters 1000 level after producing a straight set win over world No. 1 Jannik Sinner at Foro Italico on Sunday.
A much-anticipated championship match in Rome saw third seed Carlos Alcaraz edging world No. 1 Jannik Sinner with a 7-6(5), 6-1 win in one hour and 45 minutes to lift his first title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the Eternal City.
“I’m just really happy to get my first Rome [title]. Hopefully, it’s not going to be the last one,” Alcaraz stressed during the trophy ceremony.
“I’m really happy to see Jannik back at this amazing level. I am sure it wasn’t easy for him to come back after three months and make the final of a Masters 1000 in his first tournament [back]. It’s something insane, so I have to congratulate him.”
Meeting one another for the first time in a Masters 1000 final, the top seed and the Spaniard were the protagonists of a scintillating duel for the crown, playing in their 25th tour-level career final.
A close opening set went with serves as the players held their ground, showcasing their distinctive styles, combining power and precision throughout.
Alcaraz was sharp on his aggressive forehand and effective with his trademark net play, forcing his opponent to save a break point in the fifth game.
Sinner, for his part, painted the lines, keeping his advantage for the remainder of the set, wise behind his serve.
Both delivered high-level tennis as fascinating baseline exchanges took over the iconic Campo Centrale.
Under pressure, the Murcia native saved set points and rallied through an edgy 12th game, holding his ground with his forehand to force a tiebreak.
Hitting his serve out wide, he earned a mini break, recording back-to-back aces to open a 3-0 gap, which the Italian narrowed to 2-3, making a difference on the return.
Nevertheless, the Spanish player stayed the course, finding his way to fend off two set points, closing out at the net.
The 22-year-old generated an exquisite volley to inch ahead 7-6(5) in 70 minutes.
With the wind in his sails, the French Open defending champion produced a double break en route to open a 4-0 advantage, kickstarting the second set with great intensity.
In control of play, the 19-time ATP titlist got the better of his adversary in the longer points, racing to convert a break of serve and holding to extend his lead to 5-0 courtesy of his top-class shotmaking.
Relentless, he notched proceedings 6-1, extending his winning streak to 30 matches.
Assessing his performance, Alcaraz added: “I’m proud of myself with the way I approached the match mentally. Tactically, I played pretty well from the first point until the last one. I didn’t do a rollercoaster; I maintained my good level throughout the whole match, so I’m really proud of everything I did today.”
The player coached by Juan Carlos Ferrero hit 18 winners against 32 unforced errors, saved all two break points he faced, and won 73 percent of the points on his first serve.
He launched his clay-court swing by capturing the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters title for the first time in April.
Also, he made a run to the Barcelona final, where he fell to Holger Rune.
Ahead of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, he withdrew from the Madrid Open due to an abductor injury, recovering in time to compete in Rome.
Despite finishing runner-up on home soil, Sinner, the third Italian man to reach the Rome final in the Open Era, enjoyed an impressive run on his return to action.
Playing in his first tournament since capturing the Australian Open title last January, the 23-year-old took little to no time to shake off the rust, delivering outstanding performances and surpassing his own expectations by reaching the final.
Now, the focus shifts to Roland-Garros for both players, particularly for the defending champion.
“Beating Jannik, winning Rome, both things mix together and give [me] great confidence going to Paris,” the world No. 3 remarked. “I always say: ‘The final is not about playing, the final is about winning.’ I just repeat [that] approach every time I play a final.”
