Jannik Sinner cranks up his game to
near-perfection in rout of Casper Ruud at Italian Open
[May 16, 2025]
By ANDREW DAMPF
ROME (AP) — Maybe it was the pope’s blessing. Or maybe Jannik Sinner
just likes playing against Casper Ruud.
Whatever it was, the top-ranked Sinner cranked up his level to
near-perfection in a 6-0, 6-1 dismantling of Ruud in the Italian
Open quarterfinals on Thursday — a day after Sinner was granted a
private audience with the new tennis-playing pope just down the road
at the Vatican.
In his fourth match back after a three-month doping ban, Sinner
blasted winners on the lines, finished off points with aggressive
overhead smashes and never really let Ruud — one of the best
clay-court players on tour — have a chance.
“I was feeling great on court today. I think we all saw that,”
Sinner said. “I was trying to understand where my level is here in
this tournament. … How I felt today was very, very positive signs
for me.”
The seventh-ranked Ruud was coming off a title at the Madrid Open
but in the first set he managed to win just seven points. The
Norwegian dropped to 0-4 in his career against Sinner — and has
never even taken a set off the Italian.
But then, nobody has taken a set off Sinner in his four matches in
Rome — not bad for Sinner's first tournament since he won his third
Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.
When Ruud finally won his only game early in the second set, he
celebrated by raising both arms to the crowd and smiled. The match
lasted 63 minutes.
Overall, Sinner won a whopping 55 of the 77 points, produced 22
winners to Ruud’s seven and had only 10 unforced errors to Ruud’s
17.
“It’s as near as perfect that I witnessed,” Ruud said. “It’s just
immensely impressive. ... It was like playing a wall that shoots 100
mph balls at you all the time.”
When they met at the net to shake hands after the match, Ruud
appeared to be laughing at the disparity in the contest.
“You just look at the guy and say, ‘This is kind of next-level
(expletive),’” Ruud said. “It was almost fun to witness at the same
time."
Sinner extended his winning streak to 25 matches, dating to October.
In February, Sinner agreed to a settlement with the World
Anti-Doping Agency that raised some questions, since the three-month
suspension conveniently allowed him not to miss any Grand Slam
events and come back at his home tournament.
Rome is the last big warmup before the French Open starts on May 25.
Sinner is attempting to become the first Italian man to win the Rome
title since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
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Italy's Jannik Sinner returns the ball to Norway's Casper Ruud,
during their quarterfinal tennis match at the Italian Open, at the
Foro Italico, in Rome, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra
Tarantino)
Papal audience
Pope Leo XIV met with Sinner and the player’s parents on Wednesday.
“I never experienced something like this,” Sinner said. “I met
important people in my young life. This was just something else. I
was very honored and I appreciate that.”
Sinner to face Tommy Paul
In Friday’s semifinals, Sinner will play Tommy Paul, who beat Hubert
Hurkacz 7-6 (4), 6-3 to become the fourth American in the Open Era
to reach back-to-back semifinals in Rome after Eddie Dibbs
(1978-79), Jim Courier (1992-93) and Pete Sampras (1993-94).
Paul also defeated Hurkacz in last year’s quarterfinals but then was
beaten by Nicolas Jarry in the semifinals.
Sinner’s victory gives host Italy two players in the last four,
since Lorenzo Musetti will face Carlos Alcaraz in the other
semifinal.
Paolini in women's final
Jasmine Paolini, another Italian, advanced to the women’s final.
Paolini saved three set points before gaining control in a 7-5, 6-1
win over American opponent Peyton Stearns to become the first
Italian woman to reach the final in Rome since her doubles partner,
Sara Errani, lost the 2014 championship match to Serena Williams.
“We have a great movement and I'm really honored to be part of it,”
Paolini said.
The last Italian woman to win the Italian Open was Raffaella Reggi,
who took the 1985 title in Taranto.
In Saturday’s final, the fifth-ranked Paolini will face No. 3 Coco
Gauff, who outlasted Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (4) on Thursday
night.
Paolini and Errani have also advanced to the doubles semifinals. The
pair won gold at the Paris Olympics last year, crowning a stretch
when Paolini also reached the singles finals at the French Open and
Wimbledon.
“There’s a lot of Italy here in the Italian Open,” Sinner said.
“It’s nice to be part of this.”
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