Sinner eighth King of Rome, Ruud knocked out in two sets 6-4 6-4

History is being rewritten on the Foro Italico power station. Jannik Sinner from San Candido, 24 years old, undisputed number one in world tennis, triumphs at the BNL d’Italia internationals fifty years after Adriano Panatta. In the final he overcomes Casper Ruud with the score 6-4 6-4.

The Norwegian player, a clay specialist, capable of reaching the second position in the world ranking a few years ago and today number 25 in the world, can do nothing against Jannik’s excessive power. Ruud can still celebrate an unexpected final and certainly cannot regret having lost to a superior player.

The satisfaction of the Head of State Mattarella

“Single and double together… an en plein…“. Sergio Mattarella thus expresses his satisfaction with the successes of the Italian tennis players at the Rome Internationals, complimenting Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bollelli who won in the doubles. Explaining that he was unable to follow their match because he was busy in Bologna, the President of the Republic – the video clip is visible in the multimedia gallery of the Quirinale website – nevertheless speaks of a “hard-fought match, and – he underlines – even more beautiful for this reason”.

“I also saw the semi-final, all challenging matches”, remarks the President of the Republic who comments with a joke the words with which the two tennis players claim that the doubles event saw women on the highest podium last year and this year men: “Taking turns…”.

Panatta: “Special victory, Sinner is an example”

“Seeing Jannik win at the Centrale del Foro Italico has something special. Here I lived a day that changed my life in ’76, and today finding an Italian capable of imposing himself with this personality and this game makes me really happy. Against a solid opponent like Casper Ruud he showed maturity, calm and courage in important moments. The Roman public was waiting for a moment like this and knows how to recognize those who enter the field with respect and character, and Jannik took it all today. Jannik is an example for everyone, I congratulate him.” Adriano Panatta says this regarding Jannik Sinner’s triumph at the Internazionali.

Complicated start, then Jannik changes gear

One-sided final, yet at the beginning Sinner starts with the handbrake on and suffers the break in the second game. It seems that Ruud is able to harness the Italian’s explosive game, but it is only a temporary impression. Already in the third game Sinner breaks the Norwegian’s serve and then is good at being patient and accepting the opponent’s return game. The balance lasts until four all, then Sinner, also thanks to game variations, with two perfect short balls, breaks the Norwegian’s serve again and, in the next game, after 49 minutes wins the first set.

Second set: monologue of the ‘Black Knight’

In the second the world number one immediately takes control. Break in the first game and then off to the final success with Ruud forced to attempt unlikely shots to counter the fury of the Black Knight (due to the total black outfit he wore in the tournament), or “red” Knight as they say in Rome. Casper, unlike the famous ghost in the film, does not disappear from the field and resists Jannik’s blows with Scandinavian pride and tenacity. He also wins a counter break point (on a sensational error with the Italian’s smash), but in the end it is Jannik who also closes the second set with a score of 6-4.

Mattarella in the stands for a historic day

Sinner thus triumphs in Rome in front of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, perhaps the only one more applauded than him on this historic day for Italian sport.
The South Tyrolean champion thus becomes the only tennis player in history to win six consecutive Masters 1000 and 34 matches in a row in tournaments in this category. Furthermore, together with Novak Djokovic, he is the only one to achieve the Carrier Golden Masters, i.e. to win all nine Masters 1000 tournaments.
This is a day that Italian fans will remember forever. Before Sinner, in fact, there was also the triumph of the Italian pair Bolelli-Vavassori, the first by an Italian pair after 66 years.

Sinner: “Happy to have brought the trophy back to Italy”

“I’m happy to have brought the title back to Italy after 50 years.” Maybe this wasn’t the intent, but if someone wanted to further measure Jannik Sinner’s level of ‘Italianness’, an eloquent answer could be in this sentence in the speech after the awards ceremony on the red clay of the Foro Italico. “It was also a historic day for doubles, with the first victory of an Italian couple”, Sinner notes again, recalling that “last year Jasmine Paolini won singles and doubles, together with Sara Errani”. “We are continuing to give our best in front of the home crowd”, claims Jannik who thanks “my team and my technical staff, who have put my body in the best conditions day after day”.

“It’s an honor to have Adriano Panatta here on stage. Obviously – he jokes – I can’t say I saw him win here, maybe not even my parents got together then”. “It’s been a very long two weeks, with a lot of tension and many beautiful moments”, continues the world number one who also congratulates Casper Ruud “for the tournament he had”, wishing him “the best on and off the pitch”. “It was nice to see him again at a high level and now – he concludes, already looking ahead – there will be an important event like Roland Garros”.

Sinner and “Mr. Mattarella”, curtain call at the Foro Italico

“It is a great honor to be on stage with Adriano and the President”. Jannik Sinner pays homage to the man who, until today, was the last Italian to have won the Italian Internationals for 50 years, and to the President of the Republic who attended the final against Ruud, and then presented the winner with the trophy on the red clay of the Foro Italico. Then Jannik gives life to a scene which, as they say in these cases, breaks the ceremony, and which concerns the Head of State himself. It happens when the number one in world tennis observes that “when Mr Mattarella is at my side I am always very excited” and, in an involuntary, but probably more self-deprecating crescendo – while behind him it is “Mr Mattarella” himself who smiles amusedly – adds that “I always end up putting myself in unpleasant situations…”.