Jannik Sinner shrugs off sleep issues to beat Daniil Medvedev and reach Italian Open final as world No. 1 admits 'it was a very different challenge'

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Jannik Sinner admitted he struggled to sleep after winning a bruising, rain-interrupted semi-final against Daniil Medvedev to reach the Italian Open final in Rome.

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World No. 1 Sinner overcame Medvedev 6-2 5-7 6-4 in a chaotic contest that stretched across two days due to a rain delay which tested the former's physical resilience and nerve in front of an electrified home crowd.

Sinner appeared in complete control early on Friday, racing through the opening set with the kind of relentless baseline precision that has defined his rise to the top of the men's game.

But the match shifted dramatically in the second set when Medvedev broke the Italian for the first time all tournament to establish a 3-0 lead.

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Concerns over Sinner's condition quickly emerged. The 24-year-old appeared physically distressed on court and, despite mounting a spirited recovery to level the set, visibly struggled with fatigue for the remainder of the encounter.

Medvedev eventually forced a decider by taking the second set 7-5, leaving Sinner looking vulnerable for the first time in Rome.

Yet the home favourite found another gear to extend his record of ATP Masters 1000 wins to 33.

Roared on by a partisan Foro Italico crowd, Sinner edged ahead 4-2 in the deciding set before rain suspended play overnight.

When the players returned, he regained his rhythm to close out victory within 15 minutes of play to seal his progress and book another Masters final on home soil.

Sinner held his nerve to prevail when play resumed on Saturday

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Afterwards, Sinner revealed the unusual psychological challenge of restarting such a finely balanced match after the delay.

"It was a very different challenge - a tough challenge, to be honest," said Sinner, who failed to take two match points on Medvedev's serve at 5-3 in the third set.

"Usually during the night I never struggle to sleep, but this night was not easy. When you’re in the third set, nearly done, but you still have to show up again, you never know what’s going to happen.

"It's basically a new start to the match. There are nerves again. But I’m very happy with how I handled the situation. Very happy to be back in the final.

"Tomorrow is going to be another very tough day, but I’m very happy this match is finally over. It was a very long one."

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Sinner is bidding to join Novak Djokovic as only the second man to win all nine Masters 1000 titles - and awaiting him in the final is Casper Ruud, who dismantled Luciano Darderi 6-1 6-1 in the other semi-final.

Ruud said following his victory on Friday: "It's my 10th semi-final I think, in a Masters 1000, and it was his first so you try to use that experience to your advantage and I think I did that well.

"He was maybe a little bit stressed, a little bit nervous about the occasion, but I tried to stay focused and kind of in my own tunnel vision."

Sinner has won all four of their previous meetings, including a devastating victory over Ruud at this tournament last year in which he conceded just a single game.

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That performance left a lasting impression on the Norwegian, who admitted afterwards that Sinner had produced a level rarely seen on tour.

"It's like you just look at the guy and say, 'Wow, this is kind of next-level stuff,'" Ruud said after that chastening defeat.

"I don't know what else to say. It was almost fun to witness at the same time. Of course, I wish it had been a closer match, but he was just even readier than I was."

Sinner's last defeat at Masters level was in October 2025 in Shanghai, and he looks primed to not only complete the career Golden Masters by winning the title in Rome but also to achieve the career Grand Slam with victory at the French Open.

All the action at Roland-Garros starts on Sunday, May 24, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, with Sinner the top seed in the men's draw.

Sinner was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling final a year ago but a rematch is off the cards as Alcaraz is out with injury.

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