Sinner chasing his first title in Rome. Applause for Mattarella in the authorities’ gallery

It’s not there Italian final Sinner-Darderi that everyone dreamed of but the one underway is the Sinner-Ruud match on Central field of the Foro Italicounder the gaze of president of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.

The Head of State sat in the authority gallery of the Central Court of the Foro Italico between Angelo Binaghi, president of Fitp, and Marco Mezzaroma, president of Sport and Health.

The public gave him a long round of applause upon entering, and a similar round of applause for Adriano Panatta, the last Italian winner at the Foro Italico in the men’s singles, a success achieved exactly 50 years ago, in 1976, and who will reward the winner today.

But in addition to national happiness for the presence of Sinner after the ordeal semi-final with Medvedev played in two days, there is also a hint of tricolor in the area Casper Ruudthe 27-year-old Norwegian who faces the number one in the world: the clear Italian origins of his wife Maria Galligani, who on January 30th made him the father of a little girl, a role he took very seriously, first top player to enjoy “parental status”, the paternity permission introduced this year byATPa rule that allowed him to withdraw from the Dallas tournament in February to be close to his wife without suffering any injuries ranking penalties or financial penalties.

Sinner, rather “Sinneeer-Sinneeer” as the Roman choirs encourage him fifty years later “Adriaanooo” (Panatta) aims to achieve his sixth Master 1000 consecutive, to the 34th consecutive victory (always in the 1000) and to bring the International Cup 50 years later Adriano Panatta. And it is to be hoped that the weight of the records does not add tension and mental fatigue to that which has already manifested itself in semi-final against Medvedev and of which Sinner in press conference post match did not want to explain the nature.

He will play today his 38th final ATPthe fifth of 2026 and the sixth on beaten earthagainst a grounder like Ruud who, after a period of crisis, on the Capitoline fields demonstrated that he had regained confidence, regularity and depth. For the number one in the world it is the second consecutive final, for the Norwegian it is the first.

The precedents between Sinner and Ruud

It is their fifth match, with the previous four all in favor of the blue, the last of which (the only one on terra) a massacre, last year just in Romawhen he left him just one game in the quarterfinals. Ruud, however, came from victory at Madrid and he was visibly exhausted: “Jannik had swept me off the pitch,” the Norwegian recalled in press conference after overwhelming Luciano Darderi, recognizing the current superiority of Sinner and Alcaraz. “They have something special inside them – he said with great honesty – and it’s not just a question of talent. They work very hard. Their growth in recent years has been better than mine. With Sinner on the other side of the pitch I will have to try not to think too much about the wave that will come at me”.

Ruud’s moment

Terraiolo skilled, number two in the world in 2022, three finals Slam in the Paris curriculum (2022 and 2023) e Us Open 2023, Ruud has now slipped to no. 25 also due to a calf injury which forced him to retire in Monte Carlo, in the quarterfinals against Auger-Aliassime and to skip Barcelona. TO Madridwhere he was the defending champion, stopped in the quarterfinals, a Roma he found himself by lining up victories over Svajda, Lehecka, Musetti, Khachanov (the only match that forced him to the third set) and Darderi.

The sensations before the final

“My straight it’s creating a lot of problems for the opponents and I’m playing very solid on the side as well reverse – he explained after winning the semi-final – in Madrid I was very discontinuous with my forehand and I couldn’t build anything with my backhand. Here, however, I’m responding very well and I’m able to set the points in the right way right from the start. I feel really good on the pitch”. We’ll see. Under the eyes of the president of the Republic Sergio Mattarella and Adriano Panatta, protagonist of the awards ceremony, who won the International 50 years ago, a feat never replicated by an Italian. Until now.