Italian Open 2026: Jannik Sinner completes career Golden Masters, makes Italian tennis history on home soil

Tennis world No. 1 Jannik Sinner defeated Norway's Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the Italian Open final on Sunday (17 May), becoming the first Italian man since Adriano Panatta in 1976 to lift the title in Rome.

Sinner entered the final with a 4-0 head-to-head record against Ruud, including a quarter-final victory over the Norwegian in Rome on this very court last year. He widened that gap with another consistent performance in front of a jubilant home crowd, which included the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, in attendance, as well as Panatta himself.

Ruud, however, arrived far better prepared than in their previous meetings and quickly showed he intended to test the favourite on home soil.

The Norwegian made the stronger start, racing into an early lead in the opening set as Sinner struggled to settle, missing seven first serves. But with the set level at 4-4, the Italian shook off his jitters, rediscovered his rhythm, and closed out the opener 6-4.

The second set ended with the same scoreline. Sinner controlled much of the action, although Ruud repeatedly forced him into long, physical rallies. The Norwegian appeared to benefit from the extra recovery time he enjoyed before the final, while Sinner had spoken earlier in the tournament about feeling fatigued.

Earlier in the week, Sinner described Rome as “a special tournament for me and Italians.” The 24-year-old reached the Italian Open final in 2025, becoming the first Italian man in the Open Era to do so, but fell to world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz.

Beyond ending Italy’s 50-year wait for a men’s singles champion in the Eternal City, the title also completed Sinner’s career Golden Masters, a sweep of all nine ATP Masters 1000 events, a feat previously achieved only by reigning Olympic champion Novak Djokovic.

The win also extended Sinner’s ATP Masters 1000 winning streak to 34 matches. He had already surpassed Djokovic’s previous record of 32 with his quarter-final victory over Andrey Rublev on Thursday (14 May), adding Rome to an extraordinary run that has also included titles in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo and Madrid.

Sinner also joined the greatest clay court player of all time, Rafael Nadal, as just the second player to win all three clay-court ATP Masters 1000 events in the same season. In tennis terms, the Italian has now added a rare clay-court triple to the ‘Sunshine Double’ he completed earlier this year.

Inevitably, comparisons with Panatta’s famous 1976 win have resurfaced. That year, Panatta followed his Rome triumph by winning Roland Garros weeks later, completing a clay-court double no Italian man has replicated since.

Sinner will now attempt to do the same.

Roland Garros remains the only Grand Slam title missing from Sinner’s collection. Beyond the French Open crown, Olympic gold is the only major honour the Italian has yet to claim in the sport.

Since becoming Italy’s first men’s world No. 1 in June 2024, Sinner has captured four major titles, the Australian Open and US Open in 2024, followed by a second Australian Open crown and the Wimbledon title in 2025.

The 2026 French Open begins on Monday (18 May), with the men’s final scheduled for 7 June.

Alcaraz will not defend his French Open title at this year's tournament due to a lingering right wrist injury.

It was a day of double glory for Italy, as the men’s doubles pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori also captured the title, becoming the first all-Italian duo to win the men’s doubles crown in Rome.

More to follow…

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