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, rain-interrupted last-four clash.
The world number one 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 had to have treatment on his right thigh and even vomited during Friday night’s leg of the semi-final 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.
The match was scheduled to restart at at 3.00pm local time (1300GMT) but was again delayed by an hour both due to more rain in Rome and the men’s double semi-final, won by Sinner’s compatriots Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
