Jannik Sinner put up a brilliant fight but was unable to get past Carlos Alcaraz in the Italian Open final, and former World No. 1 Andy Roddick has discussed what the Italian could have done better in the final. Alcaraz won his third title of the year after sealing a 7-6 (5), 6-1 win against Sinner in the final, setting him up perfectly for the upcoming 2025 French Open.
Sinner came into the final in brilliant form, after beating the likes of Casper Ruud and Tommy Paul, and was tipped to win a title on his return after a three-month doping suspension. However, he found no way past Alcaraz, who dropped just one set on his way to the title.
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However, Sinner put in a remarkable run of form and reached the final of a Masters 1000 tournament after a three-month hiatus. He also won plenty of praise from Alcaraz, and the duo are likely to face off next at the 2025 French Open.
While discussing what Sinner needs to do to beat Carlos Alcaraz at the 2025 French Open, Roddick said the Italian has to work on his service returns.
“I think the biggest thing today was the return position. And as effective as he is, sticking that return, especially on second serves, was missing a little bit today. Right? And I think he actually pushed the risk towards the sidelines a ton. And it's kind of a tough one, you know you have to take a little more risk against Carlos because of his wheels, but also not to the detriment of making unforced errors on a high forehand,” Roddick said on Tennis Channel.
The American, who won the US Open in 2003, added that Sinner also needed to focus on defending his second serve better.
“He has to defend the second serve a little bit better, whatever that looks like - if it's switching line on that first ball a little bit more often so Carlos can't be as creative. I think he would've wanted to stick more second serve returns today, which normally is something that he does very well,” Roddick added.
Carlos Alcaraz’s win saw him gain 1000 ranking points and soar back into the second spot on the ATP rankings. He dislodged Alexander Zverev, who slipped to third, while Sinner remained atop the table.
"The final isn't about playing, it's about winning": Carlos Alcaraz after winning the Italian Open
Carlos Alcaraz is widely considered the next-best claycourt player since Rafael Nadal, and the Spaniard was in stirring form in the Italian Open. It has been a great start to his season on clay as he won the Monte Carlo Masters and then reached the Barcelona Open final before winning the Italian Open.
After his massive victory, Alcaraz delved into his mindset and how he approached the summit clash.
“I’m proud of myself and the way I approached the game and the match. Mentally, in terms of hitting shots...tactically I think I did it pretty well. I didn’t do a rollercoaster. I maintained my good level the whole match. So I’m really really proud of everything over done today," said Carlos Alcaraz.
This was Alcaraz’s seventh Masters 1000 title, and it was a special one as Nadal, the King of Clay, also congratulated him after his stunning victory.
