2025 Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy - Masters 1000

[El Dude]

Is this really entertaining to watch? I suppose by yesteryear's imagination, the way guys are playing is quite impressive, but I still call it "mindless ball-bashing!" Every time I think a pt. s/b over by a great striking of the ball or volley, it ricochets back off the opponent's racket w/ ease turning defense into offense! As I've said, the women aren't much better, just whacking away at the ball! They used to be my fall-back when the men started going "boom-boon" tennis 40 yrs. ago! The ladies still played chessboard tennis at times; esp. w/ Hingis at the top of the ranks! Sinner's accomplishing a lot; w/ smoke & mirrors IMO! Not sure he can keep it up w/o breaking down both physically & mentally! The game is so grueling! It's automatic for today's players to WD from their next events if they make the SF or Final; even Alcaraz! Paul's getting the most out of his game, but has to "red line" it to make an impression on the elites of the game!

What you call "mindless ball-bashing," I see more as a kind of power duel between samurai. Or at least for the very best. Watching how Sinner constructs points...yes, he largely does it through power, but with crazy angles and putting immense pressure on his opponent. In other words, it is a lot of bashing, but not mindless, but rather skillful bashing.

 

[El Dude]

Paul just looks frustrated. I can imagine why! This match is really showing how there's a huge gap between greats like Sinner and really good players like Paul - at least when the greats are playing at that higher level that separates them from the pack. Any top 100 player can play great tennis for a game, set, or even match, but only greats can do it like we're seeing from Sinner. And really, we shouldn't understate how good he's been for the last year and a half.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jannik becomes the 3rd Italian in the Open Era to make the final in Rome, this is Janniks first Rome final.
You turned the match around, credit to Paul who took his game to you in the 1st set
Jannik d Paul 16 60 63

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I guess we got the final we all wanted Alcaraz v Sinner
Alcaraz has made all the clay finals he has played so far this year, he will be hard to beat.

 

[don_fabio]

I guess we got the final we all wanted Alcaraz v Sinner
Alcaraz has made all the clay finals he has played so far this year, he will be hard to beat.

Not if he doesn't cut on unforced errors. He made plenty against Musetti. Sinner usually forces Alcaraz to show his best tennis, so hoping for a good final between them.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Not if he doesn't cut on unforced errors. He made plenty against Musetti. Sinner usually forces Alcaraz to show his best tennis, so hoping for a good final between them.

Both Carlos and Musetti made a lot of UFE today in their match,
Agree Sinner usually forces Carlos to play his best tennis,
I am very happy Jannik being out for 3 months to make a Rome Masters 1000 final, is like a dream to me, quite frankly I thought he would win a couple of matches and then head to Hamburg, which he has withdrawn from.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

BTW,
Sinner joined Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray as the only man this centuary to win 25 matches + consecutive matches in a row yesterday,
Today he did 1 better and is on a 26 winning match streak

 

[Moxie]

Happy are you? I said yesterday Jannik probably peaked too soon, has come out flat, Paul on the other hand is playing great and deserves his score soo far
Lets see if Jannik can become more 'engaged' in the 2nd set

Simmer down. I like Sinner, you know that! I was only reporting what I heard and was seeing, and no one else was posting about the match.

Now, I was a bit glad to see him come back to Earth a bit, given that I always figured he'd get through and play Carlos in the final. Between the 2, I do root for Alcaraz first. I'd like to see him go into RG as the favorite. I think whoever wins tomorrow will be the favorite for Roland Garros.

 

[Moxie]

I can't think of a good historic comp for Sinner. I feel like you can hybridize Fedal pretty well to come up with Alcaraz. But Sinner? Is he a bit like a modern day Lendl with a better serve?

He doesn't draw a comparison to Novak for you? He hits deep, and rarely misses.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I thought Federer in the mid-2000s was unstoppable, but holy crap, Sinner is at a new level.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Simmer down. I like Sinner, you know that! I was only reporting what I heard and was seeing, and no one else was posting about the match.

Now, I was a bit glad to see him come back to Earth a bit, given that I always figured he'd get through and play Carlos in the final. Between the 2, I do root for Alcaraz first. I'd like to see him go into RG as the favorite. I think whoever wins tomorrow will be the favorite for Roland Garros.

Simmer down BTW you know I am also a big fan of Carlos
Anyone would realize that to do what Sinner did again today against Paul would need their tennis heads read?
For one a different opponent that can crush a ball, and has a good serve, I expected Sinner to be flat, though his ability to reset is an asset.
I am over the moon that Sinner has made a final at Masters level, when he has been out for 3 months to start with
I already said I favor Carlos to win, and I havent changed my mind, to me he is the favorite to win RG this year, regardless if he happens to lose to Jannik in the final at Rome
Happy Now

 

[El Dude]

He doesn't draw a comparison to Novak for you? He hits deep, and rarely misses.

He's closest to Novak of the Big Three, but he seems more...stationery - without Novak's acrobatics/flexibility or unreal defense. I mean, he's great at all that, but not Novak-great.

 

[Front242]

I can't think of a good historic comp for Sinner. I feel like you can hybridize Fedal pretty well to come up with Alcaraz. But Sinner? Is he a bit like a modern day Lendl with a better serve?

He's literally a non choking Berdych on steroids imo. Even looks a bit like him with the baseball cap on but the guy who looks most like him is Jiri Lehecka with those same sunken cheekbones and of course is also Czech himself. A bit robotic and boring to watch at times for many but the consistency is undeniable. I prefer more flair and variety.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

He's literally a non choking Berdych on steroids imo. Even looks a bit like him with the baseball cap on but the guy who looks most like him is Jiri Lehecka with those same sunken cheekbones and of course is also Czech himself. A bit robotic and boring to watch at times for many but the consistency is undeniable. I prefer more flair and variety.

Each to their own Front, Berdych on steriods lol!, well his career to date is better than Berdych
Well 'Consistency' is what most players aim for, Jannik consistency is undeniable we are on the same page there.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Seeing Rome Masters is a 2 week event, I would like to see the mens finals the best of 5 like it used to be back in the good old days

 

[Moxie]

Seeing Rome Masters is a 2 week event, I would like to see the mens finals the best of 5 like it used to be back in the good old days

And why not the women's, as wall?

 

[Moxie]

Each to their own Front, Berdych on steriods lol!, well his career to date is better than Berdych
Well 'Consistency' is what most players aim for, Jannik consistency is undeniable we are on the same page there.

Front's post was confusing to me, too, but I think he was talking about Lendl, not Sinner? Not sure. But if he was, I'm afraid I found Lendl's game boring, too.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

And why not the women's, as wall?

Agree though they dont get the same pay as the men do, in Rome, hmmm, apparently they were this year, though it didnt happen,

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Front's post was confusing to me, too, but I think he was talking about Lendl, not Sinner? Not sure. But if he was, I'm afraid I found Lendl's game boring, too.

I am now confused, though I found Lendl's game boring, though my husband didnt, when El Dude brought up Sinners game being like Lendls, my husband said that last year he thought Sinners game was like Lendls,, though Sinner has a better serve, though they both showed little emotion on court

 

[Moxie]

I am now confused, though I found Lendl's game boring, though my husband didnt, when El Dude brought up Sinners game being like Lendls, my husband said that last year he thought Sinners game was like Lendls,, though Sinner has a better serve, though they both showed little emotion on court

Yes, I sort of get the comparison of Sinner to Lendl, especially with the on-court demeanor, though while Sinner projects calm, Lendl always seemed either robotic or prickly. Sinner is much easier to like. However, his game does leave something wanting in the "flair" department. If I didn't like him so much, I could be bored by his game.