CNN
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The Italian open crowd has had many local successes to celebrate during the last week and half, with Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti reaching the semi-finals of the men’s draw and Jasmine Paolini reaching the finals for the women’s side.
The essential sinner, who returned from a three-month doping ban in the tournament, fell only one game as he crushed No. 6 seed Caperrood 6-1 on Thursday.
Perhaps there was an element of God’s intervention against sinners this week after the World No. 1 met the new Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Wednesday and presented the clergy with a tennis racket.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this,” Thinner said of the meeting. “I met important people in my younger life, and this was just something.
“I really didn’t know exactly what to say. It was very emotional for my parents too. It was something I would never forget, that’s certainly true.”
Meanwhile, Rood lost Thursday’s defeat with good humor, saying, “It’s like playing a wall that shoots a 100mph ball at you.”
“I feel so bad,” Rude ddd. “To be honest, I think I enjoyed it more than anything. I lost love, but it’s like you’re looking at a guy and saying, ‘Wow, this is kind of next level**t.”
“Please forgive my language. I don’t know what else to say. It was almost fun to witness at the same time.”
Rude added that it was a performance he witnessed directly from the tennis player, “close to perfection.”
The sinner will face America’s Tommy Paul in the semi-finals on Friday.
No. 11 seed poles didn’t have the best luck from the court this week. He told reporters that after winning the quarter-finals against Poland’s Hubert Halkacz, it means that his beloved track, called his “baby,” has been reclaimed.
Paul said he sent a trainer for $1,000 to collect trucks in Florida while competing in Rome.
Meanwhile, Sinner’s compatriot Musetti will face Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the other men’s semi-finals after beating second-seeded Alex Zverev, 7-6 (1), 6-1.
Musetti boasts an enormous repertoire of shots. His game can be seen in the form of him making a demo against Zverev. His one-handed backhand is particularly aesthetic in an era where both hands dominate.
The 23-year-old has successfully completed a clay and court season so far, reaching the semi-finals of Madrid and now his final four Monte Carlo finals in Rome.
“The full crowd, the full stadium, and that’s a huge advantage,” Musetti said according to the ATP after his victory on Wednesday. “We had an incredible amount of support from our fans this week.
“Even if it wasn’t an easy start, I felt the adrenaline and energy from the first point, but I came back and found a way, and that’s the key to this match.”
Meanwhile, Paolini is the first Italian woman in 11 years, reaching the final of the Italian Open, facing American Coco Goff on Saturday.
The home favourites won a 7-5, 6-1 victory over American Payton Stearns in the semi-finals on Thursday, with Gouf beating Olympic gold medalists Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (4).
If Paolini wins on Saturday, she ended up waiting for 40 years for the Italian woman to win the title.
“In the first round, I was nervous, the second time, and perhaps again today, but the crowd helped me incredibly,” Parini told Sky Sports.
“It’s beautiful to play here in Italy, and that’s the most important thing because they support us no matter what.”
No. 6 Seed lifted the trophy in her home tournament and won the doubles title with Calpatriot Sara Errani, the last Italian woman to reach the singles final in Italy last year.
Paolini and Errani also became the final of women’s doubles this year. The Italian pair defeated Diana Schneider and Mira Andreva in the semi-finals in the straight set on Friday.