It was one of those matches even a scriptwriter wouldn’t write. Jannik Sinner, the home hero, marching through Rome. Adoring crowds. A raucous atmosphere. And the world No 1 back on his perch.
While he was allowed to train during his doping suspension, it seemed reasonable to expect him to lack his usual sharpness on his return to competition. That was evident on some occasions – notably a surprise 1-6 first-set loss in his semi-final against Tommy Paul – but not on others. As he eviscerated Casper Ruud, the most recent Masters 1000 champion and a natural clay-courter, it was like he had never left.
