Jannik Sinner ended a 50-year drought for Italian men at the Rome Masters on Sunday, capturing the prestigious clay-court title with a dominant straight-sets victory over Casper Ruud. After the match, Sinner spoke about a heartfelt moment with a young hospital patient, as part of a pre-match tradition at the Foro Italico that stands in stark contrast to a recent viral controversy involving Luciano Darderi, a fellow Italian player.
Jannik Sinner Makes History in Rome, Wins Hearts With Touching Tribute to Hospital Kids
During Sunday’s highly anticipated final, with this 6-4,6-4 win over the Norwegian, Sinner shattered expectations and broke multiple records. The 24-year-old became the youngest player ever and only the second man in history (alongside Novak Djokovic) to win Golden Masters, that is, all nine elite Masters tournaments on the ATP calendar: Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Toronto/Montreal, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris. He also extended his incredible streak of ATP Masters 1000 victories to 33 matches. He firmly secured his place in history as the first Italian man to win the singles title in Rome since Adriano Panatta did so in 1976.
The sport’s biggest names, including Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, took to social media right after the match to congratulate the Italian champion.
In the post-match interview, alongside his historic achievement, what stood out was his reflection on a beautiful pre-match tradition.
Throughout the Italian Open, the Italian Tennis Federation partnered with Gemelli Hospital in Rome, giving young patients in its cancer department the chance to walk out with some of the world’s best tennis players. And Sinner reflected on the emotional weight of sharing the spotlight with these young fans.
“Tennis players don’t realize the luck we have,” Sinner said in a post-match interview. “We see kids with problems, and they light up so much with the tiniest gestures. It changes your perspective. Today the boy was very small and I had to go slower when entering the court, but it was beautiful. They’re moments that make me happy.”
Before the semifinal match between Daniil Medvedev and Sinner, as the Russian was announced and walked out of the tunnel onto Center Court, he politely offered his hand to a young girl waiting by the entrance. But she looked up and politely declined, as she was waiting for Sinner. Medvedev smiled and walked out with the child mascot waiting on his right side instead. When Sinner came out moments later, the little girl was thrilled and jumping up and down with pure joy on the court.
Sinner’s mindful connection with young mascots arrived just days after an incident involving Darderi. Before his semifinal match against Ruud, Darderi went viral for completely ignoring his assigned child mascot. Wearing bold, blue-tinted sunglasses, he strutted straight onto the court, leaving the young girl to awkwardly jog behind him. Darderi drew backlash for this gesture; fans called it an egotistical, disrespectful snub, especially given the kids’ severe health situation.
The next day, Darderi issued a public apology on his Instagram Story. He claimed the snub was a complete accident caused by his own nerves, stating, “I am so sorry for not shaking Camilla’s hand. It was an unintentional gesture, in a moment of great concentration and tension. Anyone who knows me understands how much I value the human connection with fans and respect for all the people who are part of this sport.”
While Darderi didn’t notice the kids, Ruud greeted them as he walked with one of them, and later won the match 6-1, 6-1 to reach the final. The officials also invited the kid to the coin toss in the final.
Next up, it’s time for the Roland Garros. Sinner enters the tournament as the undeniable favorite and top seed, while Ruud and Darderi will play in the second Grand Slam of the year, being among the top 20 seeds.
