Andy Roddick Concerned About Jannik Sinner Despite Ruthless Victories at Italian Open
World No.1 Jannik Sinner has set up a blockbuster clash with World No.3 Carlos Alcaraz in the Italian Open final.
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Andy Roddick, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/#AusOpen, Janniksin_Updates)
Jannik Sinner was expected to struggle at the start of the Italian Open, as it’s the first tournament he is playing after his three-month doping ban. In the first four matches, he has won without much toil.
Sinner in fact handed a ‘bagel’ and a ‘breadstick’ to two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals. It was against Tommy Paul he faltered. In the first set in the semifinal, Sinner could win just one game before registering the second bagel in the tournament in the second set.
The Italian continued his winning ways in the third set, eventually clinching victory to secure himself a berth in the final. Sinner later said he had a “small blister” under his feet, which hampered his movement. Former World No.1 Andy Roddick urged the three-time Grand Slam champion to avoid any risk in the final if the injury is serious. He said via Tennis Channel:
I think that’s something to watch for in the early hours of Sunday. Also, if you’re Sinner and you have a problem, and we don’t know if there is one yet, this is just a visual test, he pulled up some movements. If he feels anything, you have to play it safe for Roland Garros.
Sinner will be playing his second final of the season following the Australian Open, where he went past Alexander Zverev in straight sets. The 23-year-old has not yet lost a match since his defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the China Open last October. It’s Alcaraz who is Sinner’s opponent in the Rome Open final.
Jannik Sinner makes feelings known about the Italian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner holds a 4-6 head-to-head record against the Spaniard and had lost the three matches they played against each other last year. Sinner is on a 26-match winning streak, while Carlos Alcaraz has reached all the finals of the three tournaments he has played this year on clay.
Before Rome, Alcaraz lifted his first Monte Carlo Masters title by beating Lorenzo Musetti and lost the Barcelona Open final to Holger Rune, following which, he withdrew from the Madrid Open final due to an injury he suffered in the Barcelona final. Ahead of the match, Sinner reiterated that matches against Alcaraz always motivate him to improve himself.
But I repeat it does me a lot of good to play against Carlos before two Grand Slams, which are the most important tournaments. It gives me a good point of reference to see where I am and above all where I need to improve if I want to win a Grand Slam.
Alcaraz is 29-5 this season and before scheduling the final match against Sinner, he knocked out Musetti in the semifinals. The upcoming match will be their first clash this season and their third on clay. They have 1-1 head-to-head record on clay.
Alcaraz is chasing his 10th clay-court title and lost the 2022 Umag Open final against Sinner. The Umag Open is the only clay-court title Sinner has captured so far in his career.
Their second encounter on clay was in the semifinal of the 2024 French Open, which Alcaraz won in five sets before beating Alexander Zverev to take home his first French Open title. Alcaraz is bidding to win his seventh Masters 1000 title, while Sinner so far has four titles of that category under his belt.
During his three-month doping ban, he signed up for the Hamburg European Open, which starts a week before the French Open. But Sinner now withdrew from the ATP 500 tournament.
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