3 weeks ago
Casper Ruud believes Jannik Sinner is not unbeatable but nan remainder of nan section will person to drawback nan world No 1 connected a favourable time arsenic they effort to extremity him winning a record-extending sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title connected location ungraded astatine nan Italian Open.
“His results this twelvemonth benignant of speak for themselves,” said Ruud. “Four Masters 1000s successful a statement to statesman nan year. Four of four. He’s already made history, he tin make much history. But he besides showed successful nan opening of nan year, he’s beatable. Novak [Djokovic] hit him. [Jakub] Mensik hit him.
“But erstwhile he’s on, not galore tin touch him. I would opportunity that erstwhile some him and Carlos [Alcaraz] are connected their highest level, they’re benignant of unreachable for nan remainder astatine nan moment. It’s a logic why they person won nan past [nine] slams, these 2 guys.”
Despite Sinner playing only 1 lucifer truthful far, easing past Sebastian Ofner successful consecutive sets successful his second-round lucifer connected Saturday night, his prospects look moreover stronger than astatine nan commencement of nan week because of nan struggles of galore different apical players. The first fewer days successful Rome person been disastrous for nan highest-ranked challengers, pinch Djokovic, Félix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton and Alex de Minaur, nan players classed No 3 to No 6, losing successful their first matches. On Saturday nan 15th seed, Arthur Fils, 1 of nan astir in-form players, past retired early successful his opening lucifer owed to a hep injury. Mensik, nan past personification to hit Sinner, mislaid meekly successful his second-round match.
Ruud, nan 23rd seed, has besides struggled precocious and this week marks his first extracurricular nan apical 20 since 2021 arsenic a consequence of not defending his title astatine nan Madrid Open. However, he reached nan 4th information connected Sunday pinch an fantabulous 6-3, 6-4 triumph complete nan 11th seed, Jiri Lehecka.
He was succeeded arsenic champion successful Madrid by Sinner, whose record-breaking tally of Masters 1000 titles has led to immoderate discussions astir nan anticipation of nan Italian achieving things that astir group had ne'er moreover considered were possible, specified arsenic holding each 9 Masters 1000 titles astatine once. The 24-year-old is now much than halfway there.
Ruud believes it would beryllium intolerable for Sinner aliases immoderate different subordinate to clasp each 9 Masters 1000 titles, chiefly because of really nan almanac falls. “After Wimbledon, if you make nan finals of Wimbledon, to beryllium fresh successful Toronto aliases Montreal is beautiful overmuch impossible,” he said. “You conscionable played nan last aliases won nan biggest title possibly location is successful tennis and past 10 days later, you person to beryllium fresh to time off for North America. So I deliberation we’ve seen already a mates of times that whoever does good successful Wimbledon, they thin to skip Montreal aliases Toronto. And I deliberation that will astir apt proceed to happen, unfortunately, for nan tourney pinch nan schedule that we have.”
Ruud was joined successful nan 4th information by Lorenzo Musetti, nan eighth seed and Italian No 2, who pulled disconnected an affectional 7-6 (7), 6-4 triumph complete nan 25th seed, Francisco Cerúndolo.
Elsewhere, Naomi Osaka continued to build hit and momentum arsenic she produced her champion triumph of nan year, dismantling nan 19th seed, Diana Shnaider, 6-1, 6-2 to scope nan 4th round.
There were fewer problems for nan surviving starring seeds, pinch Jessica Pegula demolishing Rebeka Masarova 6-0, 6-0 and Elena Rybakina rolling past Alexandra Eala 6-4, 6-3. Aryna Sabalenka, nan women’s No 1, was knocked retired connected Saturday by Sorana Cirstea.
