Jannik Sinner will face Casper Ruud in the men's final of the Italian Open after finishing off Daniil Medvedev in Saturday's closing chapter of an enthralling last-four clash, which was paused overnight due to rain in Rome.
The world No 1 could claim a record-extending sixth Masters 1000 title on Sunday thanks to a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win which had almost everything over the course of its two-and-a-half hours.
Sinner Prevails! 💪@janniksin books his spot in the 2026 Rome final after battling past Medvedev in 3 sets#IBI26 pic.twitter.com/BMIXGXrtiN
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 16, 2026
Sinner had to have treatment on his right thigh and even vomited during Friday night's leg of the semifinal as Medvedev gave the Italian by far his toughest test of the tournament.
But he looked in much better spirits before the restart as he joked and played football with his coaching team during his warm-up in the bowels of the centre court arena, just as warm spring sunshine started to shine after a few days of volatile weather.
"I struggled a bit to sleep this night. It has been a situation I haven't been in yet, where you need to finish when you're nearly over with the match. You sleep, you don't know what's coming out the next day," Sinner told reporters.
"I think it's normal that not every day we feel 100 per cent. I tried to play with the best possible energy I have. Yesterday brought me to a point where I was up today. Today I'm very happy that I finished it."
The match was scheduled to restart at 3.00pm local time (1300GMT) but was again delayed by an hour both due to more rain and the men's doubles semifinal, won by Sinner's compatriots Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
RUUD REVENGE?
For the title 🏆
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 16, 2026
Who will be crowned the 2026 champion in Rome? 👇@janniksin @CasperRuud98 #IBI26 pic.twitter.com/4dKmVw5qpB
A 4-2 lead in the third set for Sinner when play was stopped was too much for Medvedev to overcome, and the 24-year-old sealed his 33rd straight win in Masters 1000 tournaments.
Seventh seed Medvedev was at advantage in game seven of the third set, which he immediately won, but Sinner won the next game on his service to love and closed out the match in less than 20 minutes.
Ruud gets a chance for revenge for a brutal hammering against Sinner here last year after dismantling Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-1 on Saturday, another match interrupted by heavy rain.
The Norwegian, who will be back in the top 20 of the world rankings on Monday, has not won a single set in any of his four matches with Sinner and was destroyed 6-0, 6-1 in the 2025 last eight in one of the most one-sided matches ever seen at the Foro Italico.
"I think he's playing much, much better tennis right now, so its going to be very tough," said Sinner.
"Every match every week, even if you play with the same player week after week. It's completely different, so I'm just happy to stand again here in the final."