Jannik Sinner: Not Every Day Is Simple But Winning Makes Him Really Happy

Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud
Jannik Sinner and Casper Ruud (photo: Giampiero Sposito/FITP)

ROME/WASHINGTON, May 19, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

When World No. 1 Jannik Sinner secured his first Internazionali BNL d’Italia title by defeating World No. 25 Casper Ruud, 6-4, 6-4, in one hour and 45 minutes Sunday afternoon in Rome, it was not perfect tennis from both world-class players. However, it was entertaining and it provided an exciting ending to the Roman fortnight for the 24-year-old Italian.

“I’m really, really happy,” Sinner said during his on-court interview with ATP Media before receiving congratulations on the trophy podium from Sergio Mattarella, the President of the Italian Republic, and Adriano Panatta, the last Italian man to win Rome back in 1976. Sinner’s triumph ended a 50-year drought for the Italian men in Rome.

“[It’s been] incredible last two-and-a-half months,” Sinner said. “Not every day is simple, but I’m really, really happy.”

Since the beginning of March, Sinner has lifted five champion’s trophies after winning five-straight ATP Masters 1000 titles – at Indian Wells and Miami on hard courts, then at Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome on clay.

After surpassing injured Carlos Alcaraz for No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Sinner has increased his lead tremendously in the ATP Points Race. After winning Rome, Sinner has 14,700 points, while Alcaraz, who dropped 1,000 points for not being able to defend his 2025 title in Rome, is second with 11,960. Alexander Zverev is a distant third with 5,705 points.

During his champion’s news conference, which took place a couple of hours after Sinner had secured championship point from Ruud, the Italian superstar was asked what he thought fans should take away from his story – especially when he’s achieving record-breaking performances nearly every time he walks out on the tennis court.

“Of course, before the tournament or before certain matches, you know what you play for,” Sinner said. “This is also kind of my job to know what’s going on. But in the same time I always try to put myself in a very good position to be the best player of today.

“There was definitely a lot of tension, a lot of tough moments I had to go through, especially mentally. Not starting the match in a perfect way, but tried to stay as calm as possible mentally.

“Yes, I’m very happy about this achievement. I know what I played for today, so I’m really happy.”

Of note, Sinner won his sixth consecutive ATP Masters 1000 title going back to Paris last October – including five straight this year – and he’s now won 34 consecutive matches at 1000-series level and 29 straight overall this season. Sinner improved his 2026 win-loss record to 36-2 with his triumph against Ruud. His victory completed the set of titles won at all nine of the ATP Masters 1000 events. He’s just the second player after Novak Djokovic to accomplish the feat. Djokovic did it for the first time in 2018 at age 31, seven years older than Sinner’s achievement.

Not lost on Sinner or the Italian fans, who filled 10,500-seat Campo Centrale Sunday afternoon, was the South Tyrolean ended a 50-year drought in Rome for the Italian men. He’s the first Italian men’s champion at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia since Panatta in 1976. Panatta, who was in attendance to watch Sinner become Rome champion, had a front row seat during the final and was among the dignitaries invited on stage for the trophy ceremony. Also, on hand to see Sinner shine were his parents, Johann and Siglinde, who rarely watch him play in person but arrived from the South Tyrol region of northern Italy and watched all of his second-week matches.

“Yeah, there’s no better place to complete this set,” Sinner said. “It has been a very, very interesting tournament already back in the years. In 2019, making my debut here on this court. I always felt a lot of, like in a different way, a very positive but different way, a lot of attention, a lot of emotions going through. It means a lot. I believe for an Italian, it’s one of the most special places we play tennis in. To win at least once in my career means a lot to me.”

Not surprisingly, Italian sports pages were devoted to Sinner’s success in Rome. Among them, La Gazzetta dello Sport featured a banner headline in all capital letters, “Il GIGANTE,” which summed up everyone’s feelings toward Sinner. 

Now that Sinner has won another ATP Masters 1000 title – his first in Rome – next stop is the French Open, the second major of the season. No doubt, Sinner will be a pre-tournament favorite in Paris as he chases after his first Roland-Garros crown with the absence of Alcaraz, the defending champion, who beat Sinner in an epic five-set battle, 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) in last year’s title match.

During his champion’s news conference, Sinner said the next few days would be spent off the tennis court.

“The main priority is to recover as much as I can in the next two, three days,” he said. “There is not going to be a lot of training, for sure. Tennis, zero. Physical, we need to see. I want to be a little bit with my family, as well, in this moment. Switching off on tennis, then, from Thursday on I think I will be there in Paris. Prepare and we see how it goes.

“Yeah, look, now it’s important to rest.”

 

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