Jannik Sinner made a triumphant return to the ATP Tour after a three-month suspension due to a doping violation, showcasing his talent in spectacular fashion. The Italian demolished Casper Ruud with a nearly flawless performance, earning a dominant victory in just over an hour to secure his spot in the semifinals of the Rome Open.
Entering the tournament, there was speculation about how Sinner would perform after such a prolonged absence, with his last official match dating back to the Australian Open. Those doubts were swiftly erased as the World No. 1 blazed through the draw without dropping a set.
His quarterfinal against Ruud was a statement of intent, as he allowed the Norwegian only a single game throughout the match. Now, he will face Tommy Paul as he looks to secure a spot in the final on home soil.
Following the match, Ruud didn’t shy away from acknowledging Sinner’s brilliance, describing the Italian’s performance as one of the best he has ever witnessed. “It’s as near as perfect that I witnessed, at least as a player playing someone. Just got to give it to him,” Ruud said.
“I mean, the first four games, I did maybe a couple unforced errors with my forehand where I went for it, but I missed,” he continued. “Everything else that came out of his racquet and throughout the whole match, as well, feels like a hundred miles an hour plus”.
Ruud further admitted that there was little he could do against Sinner, whose relentless pace and precision left him with no answers. “Every single shot from the forehand, from the backhand. Even on my shots that I feel at times are pretty heavy, it comes back just firing. It’s just immensely impressive. That’s really all I can say,” he added.
Ruud finds perspective in defeat
Despite enduring one of the toughest losses of his career, Ruud maintained a positive outlook, marveling at Sinner’s elite level of play. “It doesn’t feel so bad honestly. I think it was more fun than anything, even though I lost 6-0, 6-1,” Ruud admitted. “You just look at the guy and say; this is kind of, yeah, next-level stuff. I don’t know what else to say. It was almost fun to witness at the same time”.
The highlight of the match came when Ruud won his first and only game of the encounter. Upon securing it, the Norwegian celebrated as if he had won the entire match, drawing a standing ovation and applause from the crowd. His lighthearted reaction and ability to maintain humor despite the lopsided score endeared him to the spectators.
Ruud expressed regret about not being able to make the match more competitive but credited Sinner’s unmatched readiness and skill for the lopsided result. “Of course, I wish it was a closer match. I wish I could have given the people and the fans a longer, closer match, but I think that I was there ready to play, but he was just even readier,” he said. “Every area of my good shots he matched with even better back. I couldn’t re-answer with a better shot. That was just the story of the match”.