World No. 1 Jannik Sinner battled back from a shaky start to defeat American Tommy Paul 1-6, 6-0, 6-3, securing his place in a highly anticipated Italian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz. Playing on home clay in his first tournament since a three-month doping ban, the 23-year-old Italian thrilled a packed Rome crowd, extending his unbeaten streak to 26 matches. Sinner is now one victory away from becoming the first Italian men’s singles champion at the tournament since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
The match was a rollercoaster. Paul dominated the first set, racing to a 5-0 lead as Sinner struggled with 13 unforced errors and only two winners. However, Sinner roared back, flipping the script in the second set by winning nine consecutive games to level the match and ultimately overpower the 11th seed in the decider.
Earlier, Alcaraz dashed hopes of an all-Italian final by defeating Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in just over two hours. The four-time Grand Slam champion and reigning Roland Garros winner looked sharp ahead of the French Open, securing his fourth final of the season. Musetti, 23, suffered his fifth straight loss to Alcaraz, hampered by 29 unforced errors in the first set and a warning for smashing his racquet into the clay. Despite a spirited second set, where Musetti briefly led 4-3 with dazzling shots, Alcaraz stayed composed, leveling the score and clinching the tie-break.
The stage is set for a thrilling Sinner-Alcaraz final on Sunday, a matchup tennis fans have eagerly awaited.