Jannik Sinner, the top seed and world No. 2, has made it to the semifinals of the men’s draw at the Italian Open. He’s topping the charts on and off the court to boot! On Wednesday, Sinner met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, where he presented the pontiff with a tennis racket. This clash was a huge moment for Sinner who, after serving a three-month doping ban, had returned to the tour within the past month.
In a must-see quarterfinal on Thursday, Sinner turned heads with his poise. He crushed No. 6 seed Casper Ruud, beating him 6-0, 6-1. He will next play American Tommy Paul in the semifinals on Friday. Sinner expressed his emotions regarding his meeting with the pope, stating, “I met important people in my young life. This was just something else.” He further reflected on the experience, saying, “I didn’t know exactly really what to say. It was a very emotional thing with my parents there. It was something I will never forget, that’s for sure.”
The last to reach the semifinals was Lorenzo Musetti, following a stunning upset of top seed Alexander Zverev. Musetti claimed a decisive 7-6, 6-1 win and will next take on the other men’s semifinalist, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz. The Italian player acknowledged the significance of playing in front of a home crowd, stating, “Full crowd, full stadium, and that’s a big advantage.”
With her victory, Jasmine Paolini would add another page to the history of Italian tennis. In the process, she became the first Italian woman in 11 years to make the final of the Italian Open. Paolini faces America’s Coco Gauff on Saturday for a semifinal spot. Gauff secured her place in the final after a hard-fought match against Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, winning 7-6, 4-6, 7-6.
The mood at the Italian Open has been charged, with fans cheering passionately for their local heroes. Paolini expressed her gratitude for the support she received during her games, stating, “In the first round I was nervous and in the second, and maybe again today, but the crowd was unbelievable and they helped me a lot.”
Sinner is back on the front foot as he campaigns in Rome. People are keeping an eye to see, as he seeks to come back strong after recently being suspended 90 days for drug use. His dominant showing against Ruud has left fans eager to see if he can maintain this level of play against Paul.
Ruud’s honest self-assessment on playing Sinner really captured the existential crisis many pros are having when facing these buzzsaws on court. He remarked, “It was just like playing a wall that shoots 100 mph balls at you all the time.” Even in defeat, Ruud found positivity in the experience: “Honestly, I think it was more fun than anything, even though I lost love and one, it’s like you just look at the guy and say: ‘Wow, this is kind of next-level s**t.’ Excuse my language. I don’t know what else to say. It was equally thrilling to see, simultaneously.
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