Carlos Alcaraz continued to burnish his legacy on Sunday with a commanding 7-6(5), 6-1 win over world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the final of the Rome Masters, capturing his third title of the season and the 19th of his career. But beyond the trophy, it was the way he earned it that set this victory apart and sent a powerful message to the rest of the tennis world.
With the straight-sets triumph, Alcaraz became the first player since 2023 to defeat Sinner without conceding a set. That’s no small feat—Sinner hadn’t lost in straight sets for 546 days, a streak dating back to his defeat to Novak Djokovic in the ATP Finals on November 19, 2023. In the 94 matches Sinner played between then and now, he compiled a stellar 88-6 record, managing to win at least one set in all of those losses—until now.
Alcaraz, however, had other plans in the Italian capital. The first set was an intense and tightly contested affair, with both players holding serve until the very end. At 5-6, Sinner had two set points on Alcaraz’s serve, threatening to seize the early lead in front of a partisan crowd. But the Spaniard stayed calm, erased the danger, and forced a tiebreak. From there, he took control, racing out to a 3-0 lead and eventually clinching the set 7-5.
Once Alcaraz had the momentum, he never looked back. He jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second set, overwhelming Sinner with his trademark mix of heavy topspin, explosive footwork, and variety. Sinner, playing on home soil and backed by a passionate crowd, simply couldn’t find the answers. Alcaraz sealed the deal a few games later to lift his first Rome Masters trophy and solidify his reputation as one of the game’s most formidable big-match players.
This wasn’t just another win for Alcaraz—it was the latest in a growing list of landmark achievements. He is now the only player to defeat Sinner more than once since the start of 2024, having beaten him four times in that stretch alone. That run includes wins in Beijing, Indian Wells, Roland Garros, and now Rome.
Even more impressively, Alcaraz is the first player to defeat Sinner twice since the Italian ascended to the No. 1 ranking following his Roland Garros triumph last year.
Alcaraz also continues to shine in finals at the sport’s most prestigious events. He now holds an extraordinary 11-1 record in Grand Slam and Masters 1000 finals combined—4-0 in majors and 7-1 at the Masters level. His only loss at either level came in an epic three-set battle against Djokovic in the 2023 Cincinnati final, where he held a match point before falling 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4).
With this victory in Rome, Carlos Alcaraz has once again proven he is not only a worthy rival to the world No. 1 but also a dominant force with a bright and historic future ahead.