Sinner defeats Ruud to claim Italian Open title in Rome.
Jannik Sinner rewrote Italian tennis history on Sunday, becoming the first Italian man to win the Italian Open in Rome since Adriano Panatta’s triumph half a century ago.
The world No. 1 defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the final at the Foro Italico, ending a 50-year wait for the host nation.
Golden Masters
Sinner became only the second man in history, after Novak Djokovic, to win all nine Masters 1000 events – the biggest tournaments on the ATP Tour outside the Grand Slams.
Djokovic completed the career Golden Masters set in 2018 in Cincinnati at the age of 31.
Final
Ruud made the stronger start, racing into an early lead in the opening set as Sinner struggled to settle, missing seven first serves.
But with the set level at 4-4, Sinner rediscovered his rhythm and closed out the opener 6-4. The second set followed a similar pattern, with Sinner sealing victory after one hour and 45 minutes of play.
Men’s doubles
The day proved doubly triumphant for Italian tennis, as Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori became the first Italian pair to win the men’s doubles title in Rome since 1960.
Mattarella and Panatta
The occasion was heightened by the presence of Italian president Sergio Mattarella in the stands, who descended to the court to present Sinner with the trophy.
Panatta, the last Italian to win the title before Sinner, was also present on the podium alongside Italian Tennis Federation president Angelo Binaghi.
Victory speech
During his victory speech, Sinner produced an endearing moment that drew laughter from the crowd.
Visibly flustered in the presence of the head of state, the champion admitted he was always very emotional when “Mister Mattarella” was in attendance, before laughing and adding that he always manages to put himself in awkward situations when the two meet.
The remark recalled a memorable scene from February 2024, when Sinner was unable to suppress laughter at the start of his speech at the Quirinale Palace, where Italy’s Davis Cup-winning squad had been received by Mattarella.
Sinner, 24, paid tribute to Panatta, saying that after 50 years they had brought a very important tournament back home.
What’s next
Sinner now turns his attention to Roland Garros, which remains the only Grand Slam title missing from his collection. Comparisons with Panatta’s 1976 clay-court double – Rome followed by the French Open – are inevitable.
Sinner enters the French Open having gone 17-0 on clay in 2026.
Photo credit: Victor Velter / Shutterstock.com
