Italian Jannik Sinner holds his trophy after defeating Norwegian Casper Ruud in the final. (AP photo)
In a historic display of dominance, Jannik Sinner became the first Italian man to win the Rome Masters in 50 years since Adriano Panatta in 1976 on Sunday. The 24-year-old world number one clinched the Italian Open title with a clinical 6-4 6-4 win over Casper Ruud in the final on the red clay of Foro Italico, which also made him only the second man after Novak Djokovic to win all nine Masters 1000 events – the most tournaments outside the Grand Slam.“There is no better place to complete this collection,” Sinner said upon completing the Career Golden Masters program. “For an Italian, it is one of the most special places we play tennis. Winning at least once in my career means a lot to me.” As Panatta watched from the front row, a visibly moved Athim addressed the legend: “Adriano, after 50 years, we have recovered a very important trophy.”
Sinner’s current form is nothing short of legendary. The win marks his sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title and extends his winning streak at this level to a record 34 matches.
In all competitions, he maintained his unbeaten record at 29 matches, a streak dating back to mid-February. At 24 years old, he became the youngest player to achieve the feat of winning all nine Masters 1000 tournaments while Djokovic completed the feat at the age of 31 in 2018.
The atmosphere in Campo Centrale was electric, with 10,500 fans creating a vibrant football-style environment to support Italy’s most famous athlete. Angelo Benaggi, president of the Italian Tennis Federation, suggested that even if there was a 25,000-seat central court in Rome, it would be larger than the United States.
The Arthur Ashe Open, the largest tennis stadium in the world, would have been completely filled.
In an unforgettable day for the host nation, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori became the first Italian pair to win the men’s doubles title in Rome since 1960. Bolelli and Vavassori beat Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 7-6 (8), 6-7 (3), 10-3.With his Golden Masters collection complete, all eyes are on Roland Garros. The French Open is the final piece of the puzzle for Sinner to complete his Grand Slam career. With rival Carlos Alcaraz missing due to a wrist injury and Sinner boasting an unblemished 17-0 record on clay this year, the Italian is the favorite to win the title in Paris.