NewKerala.com

Key Points

Tommy Paul has made headlines by reaching the semifinals of the Italian Open for a second consecutive year, a feat last accomplished by an American since Pete Sampras in the early 1990s. He defeated Hubert Hurkacz in a tight match, showcasing his ability on the Rome clay courts where he feels remarkably at home. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner impressed local fans by thrashing Casper Ruud, advancing to meet Paul in the semifinals. Sinner delivered a stunning all-around performance and is on his way to potentially becoming only the second Italian men’s singles champion in Rome since 1976.

Key Points: Tommy Paul Reaches Rome Semis; Jannik Sinner Thrashes Ruud

  • Tommy Paul beats Hurkacz for consecutive Rome semifinals
  • Jannik Sinner thrashes Ruud to reach Rome semis
  • Sinner aims to be second Italian champion in Rome
2 min read

Italian International: Tommy Paul tames Hurkacz to reach semis; Sinner thrashes Ruud

Tommy Paul makes consecutive Rome semis as Jannik Sinner's dominant win sets up clash.

"Every time I come here, I feel at home. - Tommy Paul, ATP Tour"

Rome, May 15

Tommy Paul continued his impressive form at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Thursday, as he surged into the last-four stage once again, becoming the first American to reach consecutive semifinals in Rome since Pete Sampras in 1993-94.

The 27-year-old achieved the feat by taming the big-hitting Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(4), 6-3 to reach consecutive semifinals at the Italian ATP Masters 1000 event. Paul edged Hurkacz in a topsy-turvy opening set that featured six breaks before expertly powering to a one-hour, 58-minute victory.

“Every time I come here, I feel at home,” said Paul, who improved to 9-4 in Rome, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. “The courts match up with my game really well. I feel comfortable out here, and I’ve been playing some good tennis this week," he was quoted as saying by the ATP Tour on its website.

Paul had overcome Hurkacz in three sets at the same stage in Rome last year and resurrected that form to move past the Pole again, improving to 3-1 in their ATP head-to-head series.

“Both of us were returning so well, obviously we would have liked to be hitting our spots better on serve," Paul said of the first set. "We were keeping the pressure in our service games. I thought I regrouped pretty well in the breaker and into the second set.”

Paul is No. 12 in the ATP Live Rankings and would seal his return to the Top 10 if he reaches the championship match. He will next play World No.1 Jannik Sinner, who treated his home fans to a tennis masterclass on Thursday evening, when he routed Casper Ruud 6-0, 6-1 with a stunning all-around quarter-final performance in Rome.

The top-seeded Italian struck the ball powerfully off both wings from the first point on Campo Centrale, and he barely looked back as he overwhelmed Madrid champion Ruud. After setting the tone by winning 16 of the first 18 points, Sinner maintained his level to race to a 64-minute triumph. The 23-year-old, who is playing his first tournament since January’s Australian Open, is bidding to become just the second Italian men’s singles champion in Rome after Adriano Panatta triumphed in 1976.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Tommy Paul is showing some serious consistency! Back-to-back semis in Rome is no joke. But Sinner looks unstoppable right now - that 6-0, 6-1 scoreline against Ruud is brutal! As an Indian tennis fan, I wish we had players consistently performing at this level. 🎾
P
Priya M.
Sinner's performance was pure fire! 🔥 But let's not forget Paul's achievement - first American since Sampras to reach consecutive semis here. The next match between them will be epic. Though I must say, as an Indian, it's slightly disappointing to see no Asian players in these later stages.
A
Amit S.
The way Sinner destroyed Ruud shows why he's world no.1. But I'm more impressed by Paul's consistency - he's quietly becoming a force on clay. Wonder if our Indian players can learn from his adaptability to different surfaces. Our players struggle so much outside hard courts.
N
Neha T.
As much as I enjoy watching these matches, I can't help but feel tennis is becoming too predictable. The same few players dominate every tournament. Where's the excitement of upsets? Maybe the ATP needs to rethink the tournament structure to give more players opportunities.
V
Vikram J.
Sinner's comeback after injury has been phenomenal! That's the kind of determination we need to see in Indian sports. Our players often take too long to regain form after injuries. Maybe they should train with European coaches more often - their approach seems more scientific.
S
Sanjay P.
The Rome tournament is always special, but I wish Indian broadcasters would show more of these matches live. We only get highlights or delayed telecasts. How can tennis grow in India if fans can't watch top-level matches conveniently? Star Sports, are you listening?

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50