Tennis, Sinner overwhelms Ruud and flies to the semi-finals in Rome

Three matches to get back into the rhythm, to see where he was after the three-month stop, and a 'perfect' quarter-final that Jannik Sinner played against Casper Ruud, which earned him qualification for the semi-finals of the Internazionali d'Italia. The match against the Norwegian was a true test of nine, which the South Tyrolean player passed with flying colours, overwhelming his opponent in just one hour and five minutes of play with a peremptory 6-0, 6-1. In the semifinals, tomorrow evening, Sinner will take on the American Tommy Paul while, on the other side of the scoreboard, Lorenzo Musetti will face Carlitos Alcaraz in the afternoon for a place in the final.

"I always raised the level in every match I played. If I didn't serve well straight away it could change the match. But thanks to the crowd, it gives me a lot of energy. For my part then I played a tactically perfect match', the South Tyrolean's words at the end of the match. Tennis Italy smiles, as it has been accustomed to for some time now. With Jasmine Paolini who beat the American Peyton Stearns 7-5, 6-1 to take the pass to the final, the first Italian eleven years after Sara Errani, and on Saturday she will take the court for the title. And with her top men, Sinner and Musetti.

The precedents against Ruud are all on the side of the South Tyrolean, but the challenge at the Foro Italico is worth much more than the semi-final in Rome and Sinner does not disappoint. The Norwegian is coming off a streak of nine consecutive victories and the title he just won at the Madrid Open, another Masters 1000. Sinner also wins the fourth confrontation between the two and does so with impressive authority. The South Tyrolean is a train, leaving no breathing space for his friend Ruud, who has always defended him during the Clostebol affair. The first set closed 6-0 for the Italian, who in 27 minutes put in a phenomenal performance, a far cry from his first three outings against the likes of Navone, De Jong and Cerundolo. He only committed some minor blunders in the last game of the set, which was closed in the advantages.

Ruud made a lot of mistakes, overwhelmed by Sinner: the Norwegian scored just seven points in the first set. The music did not change in the second set, with the Italian immediately breaking. Ruud entered the match after 47 minutes, interrupting the series of eight consecutive games won by Sinner, and at the game won the Norwegian exulted, applauded by the Central audience. But it was the flag point, because Sinner did not give in. And after one hour and five minutes he closes the match. In the grandstands there is also dad Hanspeter, caught by the cameras almost astonished in front of Jannik's authoritative performance. "Let's see what happens tomorrow," added Sinner talking about the challenge with Paul, "It's the first time I've reached the semifinals and I'm so happy. Speaking about the results also of Musetti and Paolini, he concluded: "We are lucky to be Italian and play here. It's incredible what we are doing and we are all happy, but it's not over yet. Each of us then tries to do our best'. 'Now we are in the game,' the world number one told Pope Leo XIV yesterday. The tennis world is warned, Sinner is back.