One match to preview today, and it's a big one. Jannik Sinner plays Ruud in the Italian Open final, and there's obvious extra weight to this one for the home crowd in Rome.
Italian Open Predictions
Jannik Sinner vs Casper Ruud
Head-to-head: Sinner 4-0 Ruud
Sinner has never lost to Ruud, and it's not like these four wins came against a Ruud who was off his game. The most recent was in the Roland Garros semifinals last year, on clay, where Ruud is at his best, and Sinner handled it without much drama. A perfect record is one thing but winning it on clay against one of the best clay-court players in the world says a lot about how that head-to-head actually looks.
Ruud has had a great run this week and clearly has the game to make this uncomfortable, especially if he gets his forehand working and starts dictating from the baseline. That said, Sinner is simply better at almost everything right now, and playing in front of a Roman crowd that's desperate to see him lift this trophy adds something to his motivation rather than his nerves. He's become so good at not panicking in long rallies and Ruud tends to need his opponent to make errors to really take over a match. Sinner won't give him enough of those, all things considered.
Prediction: Sinner in 3
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Credit Image: © Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via ZUMA Press