Tennis

Sinner King of Rome, after 50 years an Italian triumphs at the Internazionali d'Italia

In the final at the Foro Italico Central, the Atp number one beat Casper Ruud in two sets (6-4, 6-4)

by Marco Bellinazzo

17 May 2026

Jannik Sinner premiato al Foro Italico dal presidente della Repubblica Sergio Mattarella e da Adriano Panatta REUTERS/Claudia Greco REUTERS

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Opponents play tennis, Sinner is tennis. Not only when he wins. On the contrary, he is most of all when he suffers, embodying the technical difficulties and human imperfections that the sport digs up inside and that champions, however, have the talent to overcome.

After winning five consecutive Masters 1000 and 33 matches, the Atp number one beat Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the final and added to his very personal crown, the Internazionali BNL d'Italia title, fifty years after the last Italian to triumph in Rome, Adriano Panatta, in 1976.

The match played in a sun-drenched Foro Italico centre after days of unstable weather and rain, packed to capacity and in the presence of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, was almost as exciting as the confrontation between Sinner and the challenger.

However, the Italian started off very contracted and Ruud won the first game to 0, scoring 8 points to 1 and with a break he quickly took a 2-0 lead.

The worry was fortunately short-lived, because Sinner with a splendid two-handed backhand makes it clear that he is there.

The first game won by the world number one did not faze Ruud, who was solid from the back of the court and tried to vary his game to break the rhythm of the Italian, who went down 3-2 and then 3-4 without being able to find his usual fluidity in his shots.

A more foul than usual Sinner got back on track with a double short ball to Ruud's left, winning two break points. He realised the second with an identical third short ball which the Norwegian recovered but sent out. On 5-4 in his favour the Val Pusteria native went to serve for set. A game dominated to 0 and sealed with a smash. The first partial lasted 50 minutes.

The victory restored certainty to Sinner who finally took command of the exchanges. In the second partial he began with a break and then a service game won without any particular fuss, closed with the first ace of his match. After an hour's match.

Ruud began to suffer the power of Sinner's shots but remained aggressive and lost contact in the score. He also tried to surprise Sinner with a drop to the net, which the Italian punished with a pass of his own. Even so, the Norwegian still managed to make it 1-2.

We go to the change of field, while the shade completely occupies the field so far divided into one half still sunny and the other covered.

Sinner took a 3-1 lead by exploiting his first serve and a new short ball that died on the line.

With a beautiful defensive lob Ruud repelled the Italian's assault in the fifth game and kept the score in balance at 2:3. A substantial balance that also characterised the next two games. The score was thus 3-4, with Sinner maintaining the break conquered at the beginning of the set and relying on his service, even if in the eighth game, with a smash error, he conceded a break point, which was immediately cancelled with a forehand serve combination. With two powerful serves he then climbed to 5-3.

Ruud made no concessions on his serve and sent the Italian to serve for the match at 5-4.

A game that had been awaited in Rome for fifty years. The first 15 for Sinner came with a backhand volley, the second with a winning serve out, the third with a volley at net that landed on the line.

Sinner raises his arms to the sky acclaimed by the public and prepares to receive the trophy from the hands of Panatta and President of the Republic Mattarella. 'Mr Mattarella', as the triumphant winner of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2026 affectionately calls him.