From disaster to dream final: Jannik Sinner's comeback against Tommy Paul sets up Alcaraz clash in Rome

Jannik Sinner overcame a difficult start against Tommy Paul and raised his level to emphatically finish the semifinal victory 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 in a peculiar duel at the Rome Open. He will have a quick reunion with his great rival Carlos Alcaraz, who eliminated Lorenzo Musetti earlier.

The world No. 1 seemed overwhelmed by a great start from Paul but managed to reset things and take control from the second set onwards. The three-time Grand Slam champion arrived with confidence after overcoming Madrid Open champion Casper Ruud by conceding just one game.

Paul started strong on his serve and quickly generated a couple of break point opportunities on the return. The American knew that the chances he would have against Sinner would not be many and took advantage to secure the first break – and then held his serve – to move ahead 3-0. However, few would have thought what happened during the first 20 minutes of the match, in which Sinner barely managed to score points, and Paul moved ahead 5-0.

These were incomprehensible moments of the match, in which the crowd showed their mass support for Sinner, who from there took strength to avoid a greater disaster in the first set and managed to hold a single service game before Paul closed out the set 6-1 in 29 minutes, winning 76% of the points on his serve and 53% on the return. The unrecognizable Sinner had committed 13 unforced errors in just 7 games, hitting only 2 winners compared to his opponent's 6.

Doubts were raised about whether Sinner could get out of the hole he had dug himself into and whether Paul would be able to maintain his level against the world No. 1. The doubts began to clear quickly when Sinner secured an early break and then held his serve to move ahead 3-0.

As if it were a rematch of what happened in the first set, the Italian secured his second consecutive break, and with his serve, moved ahead 5-0, in what seemed like a mirror image of the first set. However, this time Paul couldn't even win a service game, and Sinner delivered a bagel – just like against Ruud – and sent everything to the third set with a resounding 6-0 after 31 minutes of play. This time, the Italian increased his winners from 2 to 10 and reduced his unforced errors from 13 to just 4 throughout the set.

Barely an hour of play had passed, and the third set was already underway. Sinner took advantage of the momentum to not waver on his serve and secured another early break, which moved him ahead 3-0. Sinner totaled 9 consecutive games in his favor, and it seemed an insurmountable moment for Paul, who maintained numbers above 75% of first serves in, but was no longer being as effective as his opponent.

However, the match could not go by without a reaction from the world No. 12, who showed why he earned a place in the semifinals, and keeping calm, held a service game – which broke Sinner's streak – and then secured a break on his first chance since the first set, narrowing the gap to 3-2.

However, Sinner would not let the victory slip away so easily and broke back immediately, then moved ahead on his serve to 5-2. The American, for his part, managed to save two match points on his serve, but it was not enough to seek a comeback, as the Italian did not relinquish the victory on his serve and closed out his passage to the final 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 in a peculiar match at the Rome Open. It will be a dream final against the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz this Sunday, in what will be their 11th encounter. At the moment, Alcaraz leads their head-to-head 6-4.