Day ten at the Foro Italico delivered a straightforward semi-final and a proper war of attrition.
Jannik Sinner battled through a tough physical battle and an overnight rain suspension to defeat Daniil Medvedev and reach his second consecutive Rome final.
At the other end of the draw, Casper Ruud took full advantage of a tiring Luciano Darderi to reach his first final in the Italian capital.
Sinner again showed his champion mentality by coming through a difficult test against Medvedev, while Ruud produced a clinical performance to set up what could be an interesting final.
Sinner remains the heavy favorite as he chases a career Golden Masters and a first Rome title, but he showed some grit in his semi and Ruud may be steady enough to take advantage when the top guys aren’t at 100%.
Day Ten Italian Open 2026 Semi Final Results
| Winner | Loser | Do |
|---|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner (1) | Daniel Medvedev (7) | 6-2 5-7 6-4 |
| Casper Ruud (23) | Luciano Darderi (18) | 6-1 6-1 |
Summary of the match
Casper Ruud (23) def. Luciano Darderi (18) 6-1 6-1
Casper Ruud reached his first Rome final with a dominant straight sets victory over a visibly tired Luciano Darderi.
The Norwegian was clinical from the start, using his strong forehand and consistent baseline play to take control.
An hour and 59 minute rain delay interrupted the match with Ruud leading 4-1 early in the first set, but he came out even sharper after the break. He closed out the first set 6-1, then raced to a 4-0 lead in the second, closing out the match in ruthless fashion.
Darderi, who had played nearly nine hours of tennis in his previous two matches (including a 2 o’clock finish against Jodar, which is a bit of a joke considering the event lasts a fortnight), simply had nothing left in the tank.
This is Ruud’s fourth semi-final in Rome but his first final in the Italian capital, and he has now reached the final at all three clay Masters 1000 events (Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome), so he knows his way around the dirt. Clay court best? Not sure I’d put him in that category, but he’s been one of the better players over the last few years.
Match statistics
| Key statistics | Casper Ruud | Luciano Darderi |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | 20 | 9 |
| Unforced errors | 16 | 23 |
| Ace | 3 | 2 |
| Double mistake | 1 | 1 |
| 1st serving % | 55% (23/42) | 46% (22/48) |
| 1st Serve point won | 74% (17/23) | 59% (22/13) |
| 2nd serve point won | 63% (12/19) | 23% (6/26) |
| Breakpoints saved | 50% (1/2) | 33% (3/9) |
| Service game | 86% (6/7) | 14% (1/7) |
| 1st return point won | 41% (9/22) | 26% (6/23) |
| 2nd return point won | 77% (20/26) | 37% (7/19) |
| Break point won | 67% (6/9) | 50% (1/2) |
| Return game | 86% (6/7) | 14% (1/7) |
| Pressure points | 64% (7/11) | 36% (4/11) |
| Service points | 69% (29/42) | 40% (19/48) |
| Return points | 60% (29/48) | 31% (13/42) |
| Net points | 71% (5/7) | 50% (3/6) |
| Total points | 64% (58/90) | 36% (32/90) |
| Max points in a row | 9 | 6 |
| Service game | 86% (6/7) | 14% (1/7) |
| Return game | 86% (6/7) | 14% (1/7) |
| Total game | 86% (14/12) | 14% (2/14) |
| Max games in a row | 8 | 1 |
Highlights
Jannik Sinner (1) def. Daniel Medvedev (7) 6-2 5-7 6-4
Jannik Sinner survived a tough physical and mental test to reach the Rome final, defeating Daniil Medvedev in a match suspended overnight due to rain.
Sinner dominated the first set and looked in control, but Medvedev raised his level considerably in the second, making the match a decider.
Sinner broke for a 4-2 lead in the third set before heavy rain forced a stoppage late Friday night at 6-2, 5-7, 4-2.
When Sinner returned on Saturday afternoon (after an 18-hour layoff), Sinner showed excellent composure. He held at love, created two match points on Medvedev’s serve and closed out the win on his own serve to complete a hard-fought victory.
A bit of a weird match due to the rain delay, but before that it got interesting. Sinner hardly missed a ball in the first games, but towards the end of the set Medvedev started to win more points, and in the second set he was able to assert himself.
Sinner went from attacking to having to cover a lot of court, and he began to decline physically, showing lots of discomfort, heavy breathing and sickness. He received a medical timeout for his leg, which appeared to be cramping, which is not allowed.
Given Sinner’s physical woes, I thought Medvedev was the favorite for the third, but Sinner dug in, upped his aggression and got the break in the third.
Despite the loss, Medvedev can leave Rome quite satisfied; he had a soft draw until the semi-finals but was the first person to really test Sinner and he has bounced back well from his double bagel loss in Monte Carlo.
Match statistics
| Key statistics | Jannik Sinner | Daniel Medvedev |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | 39 | 23 |
| Unforced errors | 30 | 37 |
| Ace | 7 | 4 |
| Double mistake | 2 | 7 |
| 1st serving % | 60% (55/92) | 63% (66/104) |
| 1st Serve point won | 75% (41/55) | 67% (44/66) |
| 2nd serve point won | 59% (22/37) | 39% (15/38) |
| Breakpoints saved | 71% (5/7) | 60% (6/10) |
| Service game | 87% (13/15) | 73% (11/15) |
| 1st return point won | 33% (22/66) | 25% (14/55) |
| 2nd return point won | 61% (23/38) | 41% (15/37) |
| Break point won | 40% (4/10) | 29% (2/7) |
| Return game | 27% (4/15) | 13% (2/15) |
| Pressure points | 53% (9/17) | 47% (8/17) |
| Service points | 68% (63/92) | 57% (59/104) |
| Return points | 43% (45/104) | 32% (29/92) |
| Net points | 59% (16/27) | 43% (6/14) |
| Total points | 55% (108/196) | 45% (88/196) |
| Max points in a row | 8 | 5 |
| Service game | 87% (13/15) | 73% (11/15) |
| Return game | 27% (4/15) | 13% (2/15) |
| Total game | 57% (17/30) | 43% (13/30) |
| Max games in a row | 4 | 3 |
Highlights
Italian Open 2026 Day 12 final
- Jannik Sinner (1) vs Casper Ruud (23)
