Alcaraz Beats Sinner To Win Italian Open

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After defeating Jannik Sinner 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 in the final and sending a warning shot to Roland Garros, Carlos Alcaraz won the Italian Open on Sunday.

Alcaraz, who will move up to second place behind Sinner on Monday, eventually won his third title, igniting the crowd of over 10,000.

The Spaniard won the French Open’s fourth final of the year, sending a message to the rest of the men’s tour, where he will defend the title when it debuts the following weekend.

Being defeated by Jannik and winning in Rome, Alcaraz said, “I think both things combined give you great confidence coming to Paris.”

“I’m going to enjoy this moment with my family, my team, and my friends who are at home,” I said. And a few days of rest to reflect on what I’ve accomplished is important as well. Then, I turn my attention to Roland Garros.

At the conclusion of their men’s singles final match for the ATP Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 18, 2025, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Italy’s Jannik Sinner speak on the podium. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE/AFP)

Sinner is top of the world’s rankings, but Alcaraz, who had last defeated him in the China Open final last year, ended his 26-match winning streak.

Since the start of 2024, Alcaraz is the only player to defeat Sinner in a tour final, bringing his Italian rival to the top of men’s tennis with three Grand Slam victories.

Even with the thigh injury that prevented him from competing at the Madrid Open, the 22-year-old has had a tremendously impressive clay court swing this season.

Alcaraz won his second Masters 1000 championship in Rome last month to complete his recent success at Monte Carlo. In Barcelona, he also advanced to the final.

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Alcaraz triumphs

At the conclusion of his men’s singles final match against Jannik Sinner from Italy at the Foro Italico in Rome on May 18, 2025, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz poses with his winner trophy. (Photo by Tiziana FABI/AFP)

Sinner’s first tournament victory in his first match since receiving a three-month ban for testing positive for clostebol twice in March of last year, a contamination that the doping authorities accepted was accidental, is still a very positive result.

In Game 12 of the first set, Sinner let two set points pass, and that was the decisive moment, with Alcaraz robbing off the first three points of the tie-break before advancing.

Alcaraz then shifted and won the first five games of the second set, bringing home his first Rome title.

Sinner’s positive return, however, opens the door for a third final encounter with Alcaraz, with the two rising men’s tennis stars set to face off against Paris.

Sinner joked that his brother Mark was “preferring to go to Imola to watch the Formula One Grand Prix Grand Prix instead of being here,” before saying on court that Alcaraz would be “the man to beat” in Paris.

For the ATP Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 18, 2025, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz poses with his winner trophy at the conclusion of his men’s singles final contest against Jannik Sinner from Italy. (Photo by Tiziana FABI/AFP)

The 23-year-old failed to record a hat-trick of victories for home players in the Italian capital, aiming to become the first Italian player to win at the Foro Italico since Adriano Panatta in 1976.

When Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani defeated Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens 6-4, 7-5, Jasmine Paolini won the Rome singles and doubles titles for the first time since Monica Seles in 1990.

Paolini won the Rome singles title for the first time since 1985 when she defeated Coco Gauff, the previous US Open champion, in straight sets.