Carlos Alcaraz had little trouble dissolving Jannik Sinner in the Italian Open final and sealing a 7-6 (5) 6-1 victory to make the world number one’s winning streak of 26 games on Sunday and break the hearts of the home crowd. Alcaraz got a tense opening set in a draw after he and Sinner traded on a hot night in front of a crowded in the middle court of the baseline. From the second set, however, Alcaraz silenced the home crowd when he completely surpassed the sinner and threw after a victory in their first collision in a Masters 1000 final. “I am proud of myself, with the way I approached the game spiritually. Tactically, I think I played pretty well from the first point to the last one,” Alcaraz said in an interview on the court. “I’m just very happy to get my first Rome (title), hopefully it’s not going to be the last one.” For a sinner, it was particularly disappointing that he could not make it a double celebration for Italy, after compatriot Jasmine Paolini won the women’s title a day earlier. Sinner has played his first tournament since winning the Australian Open in January and hoped to become the first Italian man to prevail in Rome in 1976 since Adriano Panatta, but he had to be satisfied with the second best. The Spaniard has now hit Sinner in their last four meetings and shot a warning shot at his opponents before the upcoming French Open where he plans to defend his title. “To beat Jannik, win Rome. Both things mix together and give me a lot of confidence to Paris,” Alcaraz said. Jasmine Paolini First Italian woman who has won Rome title since 1985, Jasmine Paolini became the first Italian woman to win the Italian Open in 40 years when she beat the American World Number Three Coco Gauff 6-4 6-2 in the final on Saturday. It was Paolini’s biggest Claycourt title and her second 1000 crown, with the 29-year-old from Tuscany who won the Dubai Championships last year. Paolini, who was roared by a beautiful home crowd, became the first home player to win the women’s title at the Italian Open after Raffaella Reggi in 1985. GAFF won two of her previous three meetings with Paolini, but the US Open champion in 2023 had no answers to the solid game of the Italian. World number five Paolini came out all guns that clinched a tight opening set in 54 minutes and then set up an equipment to lead 3-0 in the next before sealing the victory.
Carlos Alcaraz roar after the first Italian Open title while Jannik Sinner faltered on home ground | Mint
