Jannik Sinner Suffers a Huge Injury Scare Ahead of the Rome Masters Final Against Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner rallied from behind to beat Tommy Paul 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 to reach his first-ever Italian Open final in Rome.
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Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/The Tennis Letter, Bastien Fachan)
Jannik Sinner came from a set down to beat Tommy Paul in his first Italian Open semi-final of his career. After the match, the World No.1 did his best to play down injury fears, which he has been battling with at the tournament, ahead of the mouth-watering Rome Masters final against his arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner produced a sublime performance to win his first four matches at the Italian Open, particularly against Casper Ruud, where he outplayed the Norwegian, winning 6-0, 6-1. Ahead of his semi-final match, there was an expectation that he would dispatch the American clinically and move on to face Alcaraz in the final.
But, the home crowd at the Foro Italico were stunned when Paul claimed the opening set 6-1 in just less than 40 minutes. However, Sinner wasted no time finding his footing in the second set as he went on to nine straight game points, but it was then that he began to struggle with a leg issue.
Nonetheless, that didn’t affect his performance, as he claimed the victory 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 in an hour and forty-four minutes to reach the final of the Italian Open. During his post-match press conference, he was asked about his injury concerns. He revealed that it was a leg problem he had been sustaining since the start of the Italian Open. Sinner said:
Since the third round, I have a small blister under my feet that doesn’t allow me to move in some moments. I felt it more today than in other matches. Leg-wise, I’m not concerned. It is just a bit tight, but this is normal. There are no excuses, and for Sunday, I am 100 per cent not concerned.
By reaching the Rome final, Sinner became the first player to reach the championship match in seven consecutive tournaments’ appearance (between the Cincinnati Open 2024 and the Rome 2025) since Andy Murray in 2016. The Italian star has been playing remarkable tennis in Rome despite being absent from the tour for three months due to suspension.
In addition, Sinner claimed his 26th consecutive win against Paul in the semi-final. He has now won nine of his last ten matches when he lost the opening set, with the only exception coming against Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals of the Canadian Open last year.
Jannik Sinner says a change of conditions was the reason for his poor first set display against Tommy Paul
Jannik Sinner wasn’t at his best in the first set against Tommy Paul. Though he rallied back into the match perfectly, he struggled at one time in the third set. In fact, in the third set, he led 3-0 but then allowed Paul back into the match as the American won two game points.
However, Sinner ensured he continued with his great performance. He reflected after the match that the change of conditions led him to struggle at the beginning of the tie:
I tried to stay there mentally. The conditions were completely different. It’s much colder today. The ball is a bit heavier. I struggled with that a bit. He broke me straight away so that’s a straight punch in my face, but I tried to stay there mentally. Trying to understand what might work better. I stayed there in the first set. Winning this one game for me [in the first set] was very important for me. Tennis can change quickly. That’s what I said yesterday with Casper. Every moment is very crucial. Very happy to be in the final.
Sinner will take on Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the Italian Open. The Spaniard leads in their head-to-head record, 6-4. They last met at the China Open in Beijing last year, where Alcaraz came from behind to win; he has also won their last three meetings.
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