Jannik Sinner was closing in on a return to the Italian Open final before rain stopped his semifinal against Daniil Medvedev late Friday night, leaving the world No. 1 two games from another title match at the Foro Italico.
Sinner led Medvedev 6-2, 5-7, 4-2, with Medvedev serving at advantage, when play was suspended at 9:45 p.m. in Rome. The match is scheduled to resume Saturday at 3 p.m. local time, ahead of the women’s singles final between Coco Gauff and Elina Svitolina, which was pushed to not before 5 p.m.
The interruption came with Sinner in control of the deciding set after a match that had shifted sharply in momentum. The Italian dominated the opening set, only for Medvedev to respond in the second and become the first player this week to take a set from Sinner in Rome. Reuters reported that Sinner also dealt with physical discomfort during the match, including cramping and a medical timeout, before regaining the lead in the third set.
Ruud Awaits in Sunday’s Final
The winner will face Casper Ruud in Sunday’s final after the Norwegian swept past Italian crowd favorite Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-1 earlier Friday. Ruud, a three-time semifinalist in Rome before this year, reached his first Foro Italico final with one of his cleanest performances of the tournament.
Darderi’s run had been one of the stories of the week, but the semifinal proved a step too far after his late-night quarterfinal win over Rafael Jodar. Ruud controlled the rallies from the start and gave the Italian little chance to extend the match.
Sinner Chasing Rare Masters Milestone
For Sinner, the stakes go beyond a home final. A Rome title would put him alongside Novak Djokovic as the only men to complete the Career Golden Masters, winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.
The Italian has already made Rome one of the defining stops of his season, and if he finishes off Medvedev on Saturday, he will have a chance to lift the trophy in front of a home crowd.
Medvedev, though, still has a path back. He will resume serving at Ad/40 while trailing by a break in the third set. One quick hold would put pressure back on Sinner, particularly after the physical issues that appeared during Friday’s second set.
The schedule adjustment also reshaped Saturday’s program. The men’s doubles semifinal was moved to 1 p.m., while the women’s singles final was pushed later in the day to accommodate the conclusion of Sinner and Medvedev’s semifinal.
For now, Rome waits. Sinner is close, Ruud is already there, and one rain-delayed finish will decide the final piece of Sunday’s championship match.
