World number one Jannik Sinner booked his place in a much-anticipated Italian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz after rallying from a slow start to defeat American Tommy Paul in three sets.

Back on the court after a three-month doping suspension, Sinner endured a shaky opening before storming back to claim a 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory in front of an electric home crowd at Rome’s Foro Italico on Friday.

The 23-year-old Italian, now riding a 26-match winning streak, is just one win away from becoming the first local men’s singles champion at the tournament since Adriano Panatta lifted the trophy in 1976.

Paul, seeded 11th, stunned the home fans by racing to a 5-0 lead in the first set, capitalizing on Sinner’s 13 unforced errors and lack of rhythm. 

But the match turned dramatically in the second set as Sinner dominated, winning nine games in a row and leaving the American unable to recover.

Earlier in the day, Carlos Alcaraz ended hopes of an all-Italian final with a composed 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) win over Lorenzo Musetti. 

The four-time Grand Slam champion looked sharp throughout, securing his place in a fourth final of the season in just over two hours.

Musetti, who has now lost five consecutive matches to Alcaraz, struggled with consistency, surrendering three breaks in the first set and racking up 29 unforced errors. 

His frustration boiled over when he received a warning for smashing his racquet and later struck a ball into the stands.

Despite the intensity, Alcaraz held firm in the second-set tie-break, setting up a thrilling showdown against Sinner in Sunday’s final—one that promises to deliver fireworks between two of tennis’s brightest young stars.

Source: BBC

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