Rome [Italy], May 19 : Young Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz ended world number one Jannik Sinner's 26-match winning streak, leaving the star denied an Italian fairytale, securing the Italian Open title in Rome on Sunday.
With this victory, Alcaraz secured his seventh ATP Masters 1000 title. He defeated Sinner by 7-6(5), 6-1 in an absorbing match-up that lasted an hour and 44 minutes. He saved two set points in the first set and never looked back from there.
According to ATP's official website, this is Alcaraz's 19th tour-level title, tying with Sinner for the most tour-level titles among players born in the 2000s.
After the match, Alcaraz gave special appreciation to his contemporary, who had his first competition after returning from a substance-related suspension, which he served for three months.
Speaking after the game as per ATP's official website, Alcaraz said, "I am just really happy to get my first Rome [title], hopefully it is not going to be the last one. The first thing I want to say is that I am just really happy to see Jannik back at this amazing level. I am sure it was not easy for him coming back after three months and making the final of a Masters 1000 in his first tournament [back]. It is something insane, so I have to congratulate him."
"I am proud of myself for how I approached the match mentally. Tactically, I think I played pretty well from the first point until the last one. I did not do a rollercoaster... I maintained my good level throughout the whole match, so I am really proud about everything I did today," he added.
This is Alcaraz's seventh win over Sinner in the ATP Head-to-Head battle, having lost four. After wins in Rotterdam and Monte Carlo, the young Spanish star is the first player to get three ATP Tour titles this season. Alcaraz also owns tour-leading 30 wins this year and is the fifth player to win all three clay-court ATP Masters 1000 events, after Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Gustavo Kuerten and Marcelo Rios.
On the other hand, the world number one Sinner was competing in his first tournament after the Australian Open Grand Slam win in January and was aiming to become the first Italian male champion in Rome since Adriano Panatta in 1976.