ROMA – Top-ranked Jannik Sinner has returned from a three-month doping ban and passed a major test, defeating skilled clay court player Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (2), 6-3 on Tuesday to arrive at the Italian Open Quarter Final.
Cerundolo, who ranked 18th in the tournament, won the tour’s top 18 wins this year with Clay, and competed in the Madrid Open semi-finals.
Cerundolo also defeated Sinner two years ago in the same court and the last time they met in the same round.
It was Thinner’s first tournament since winning his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, and has not dropped a set in three matches.
“Today I felt like I had leveled up my level,” Sinner said. “It was a very long day. But I need this. I’m happy to be back. I was three months later, so every situation for me, I feel very lucky to be here, I’m very fortunate.”
In February, the sinner agreed to a settlement with the world’s anti-doping agency, which raised several questions, as a three-month suspension prevented him from missing a Grand Slam and returning to the tournament at home.
Rome is the last big warm-up before the opening of France begins on May 25th.
Thinner extended his winning streak to 24 games, dating back to October.
The match began several hours later due to rain, and turned into a night match. But the crowd on Italico Day was hanging to meet their home players, serenading him with the chant “Ole, All, All, Sinner, Sinner” at every big moment.
The crowd sign reads, “We are all sinners.”
Thinner hangs at a long rally with Cerundolo and eventually finds the range of drop shots at the most important time during the tiebreaker.
When Thinner scored the winner of Stopbolly early in the second set, he gestured with his fingers to make the crowd louder.
The sinner then needed a medical timeout to treat the apparent blisters on his right foot. However, he defeated Cerundo in the next game, taking a 3-1 lead in the second set and controlling.
The sinner will then face either Madrid champion Casperudo or Jammuhnar, whom he will later play.
Thinner is about to become the first Italian to win a Rome title since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
With the other half of the draw, Carlos Alkaraz was made to work in a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory over Karen Khachanov, who won a rematch with Jack Draper, who beat him earlier this year.
Alkaraz improved to 5-0 in his career against 24th place Khachanov.
“It was a bit of a struggle physically,” Alcaraz said. “There was no pain in any part of my body. I was just tired. I had to run a lot. I was really proud of the way I fought for all the ball.”
Alcaraz, who was in third place, wore a long black brace that covered the top of his right leg and stretched just below his knees.
Alcaraz retreated from Madrid due to an illness in the upper right foot that bothered him during the Barcelona Open Finals. He also suffered a left leg injury.
Alcaraz, who won the Monte Carlo Masters in April, improved to 12-1 with Clay this season. The four-time Grand Slam champion will then face the No. 5 draper.
Alcaraz holds a career edge of 3-2 over Draper, but the British player won his recent meeting in the semi-finals held in Indian Wells, California in March.
Elsewhere, Lorenzo Musetti had set match points against Danil Medvedev when their match was interrupted by rain.
The contest was suspended for nearly three hours, and players finally returned, closing it by Musetti producing an inside out forehand winner at the first point of the reopening.
Musetti, a newcomer in the top 10 of No. 9 rankings, scored 7-5, 6-4.
In the women’s tournament, Jasmine Paolini became the first Italian woman to reach the semi-finals in Rome after Diana Schneider 6-7 (1), 6-4 and 6-2, after doubles partner Saraelani lost the 2014 final to Serena Williams.
Paolini chased 3-0 in the second set when the match temporarily stopped due to rain. Shnaider continued to hold the Surve and went 4-0 after the suspension, but Paolini won six straight games and won the set.
“It was good that it rained for five minutes. I was coached by Sarah,” Paolini said of Elani, who was watching from the stands.
Paolini’s semi-final opponents were either two-time Roman champions Elina Svitolina or Peyton Stearns, who were playing later.
The last Italian woman to win the Italian Open was Rafaela Ledge, who won the title in the 1985 talent.