Tennis – Sinner Inches Closer to Rome Final Before Rain Stops Thriller
Tennis – Jannik Sinner’s impressive run at the Italian Open remained on course Friday night, although heavy rain forced an unexpected pause in his gripping semifinal battle against Daniil Medvedev at Foro Italico.
The world No. 1 held a narrow advantage of 6-2, 5-7, 4-2 when officials suspended play because of worsening weather conditions in Rome. The match was halted late in the evening with Medvedev preparing to serve during a tense game in the deciding set.
Rain Delay Interrupts High-Intensity Contest
Tournament organizers confirmed that the semifinal will continue on Saturday afternoon before the women’s singles final featuring Coco Gauff and Elina Svitolina.
Prior to the interruption, the match had delivered a high-level contest filled with dramatic momentum changes and long baseline exchanges. Both players showed sharp tactical awareness as the semifinal stretched beyond the two-hour mark.
Sinner looked dominant in the opening set, applying relentless pressure from the baseline and controlling rallies with powerful groundstrokes. The Italian moved confidently around the court and gave Medvedev little opportunity to settle into rhythm while sealing the set comfortably.
Sinner Faces Physical Struggles During Second Set
The momentum shifted during the second set as Sinner began showing signs of physical discomfort. The 24-year-old repeatedly paused between points and appeared short of breath during several exchanges.
Even with those struggles, Sinner managed to recover from a break deficit and briefly regained balance in the set. However, Medvedev raised his level significantly at a crucial stage, combining deep defensive play with carefully placed drop shots that tested the Italian’s movement across the clay court.
The Russian eventually captured the second set and forced the semifinal into a decider, ending one of the most dominant stretches of Sinner’s recent Masters campaign.
Medvedev Pushes Back Against Tournament Favorite
The set won by Medvedev carried added significance considering Sinner’s remarkable consistency throughout the ATP Masters 1000 season. Before Friday’s contest, the Italian had rarely looked vulnerable during his current winning streak and had dropped very few games on his route to the Rome semifinals.
For a period in the match, Medvedev appeared capable of disrupting Sinner’s pursuit of another major title. The former world No. 1 showed patience from the baseline while varying pace effectively to prevent Sinner from dictating every rally.
Still, Sinner responded strongly in the deciding set. He secured an early break to move ahead 2-1 before extending the lead to 4-2 shortly before rain stopped play.
Historic Opportunity Still Within Reach
Sinner now stands only a few games away from reaching a second consecutive Italian Open final and continuing his pursuit of a rare achievement in men’s tennis.
The Italian is attempting to become only the second player after Novak Djokovic to complete the Career Golden Masters by winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.
His overall form in the 2026 season has been exceptional. Sinner entered the semifinal with a 35-2 match record and demonstrated composure under pressure by saving most of the break points faced against Medvedev.
Medvedev Remains in Contention for Another Rome Title
Despite trailing when the match was suspended, Medvedev remains firmly in contention. The Russian previously won the Rome title in 2023 and continues to search for only the second clay-court trophy of his professional career.
He also arrived in Rome carrying strong confidence after title-winning performances earlier this season in Brisbane and Dubai.
The winner of the suspended semifinal will advance to Sunday’s championship match against Casper Ruud, who has already secured his place in the final