Alcaraz defeats Sinner to win Italian Open, enters French Open as top favorite

Carlos Alcaraz continues to assert his dominance on clay and over Jannik Sinner, defeating the Italian 7-6 (5), 6-1 in the Italian Open final on Sunday to capture his first Rome title and build momentum heading into the French Open, where he will now enter as the tournament favorite.

Alcaraz, the only player to beat Sinner more than once since the start of last year, has now defeated him in four consecutive matches and leads their career head-to-head 7-4. Sunday’s win also snapped Sinner’s impressive 26-match winning streak, which dated back to October 2024 — a run that was also halted by Alcaraz in the China Open final.

Playing in front of an electric, orange-clad home crowd at Campo Centrale, Sinner — in his first tournament back after a controversial three-month doping suspension — failed to convert two crucial set points at 6-5 in the first set. Alcaraz responded with two aces in the tiebreak and never looked back, cruising through the second set with his trademark blend of power and finesse.

Sinner, who won the Australian Open earlier this year, was aiming to become the first Italian man since Adriano Panatta in 1976 to lift the Rome trophy. He was also looking to follow in the footsteps of Jasmine Paolini, who won both the women’s singles and doubles titles, achieving a rare sweep not seen since Monica Seles in 1990.

Alcaraz hits peak form ahead of Roland Garros

With this win, Alcaraz becomes the fifth man to complete the trifecta of Masters 1000 titles on clay — adding Rome to his previous triumphs in Monte Carlo and Madrid. The others in this elite group are Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Gustavo Kuerten, and Marcelo Rios.

The 21-year-old Spaniard will return to World No. 2 on Monday, solidifying his role as the player to beat at Roland Garros, which begins next Sunday. Despite missing the Madrid Open due to injury, Alcaraz has now reached three consecutive clay finals this season — winning two.

With four Grand Slam titles already under his belt, Alcaraz is poised to defend his 2025 French Open crown and perhaps continue carving out his legacy as the next great king of clay.

SportsLigue