Tommy Paul shared his thoughts on Jannik Sinner ahead of their match at the 2025 Italian Open. The American has reached the final four for the second year on the trot, while the home favorite is making his semifinal debut in Rome on Friday, May 16.
Both players are seeded at the Masters 1000 tournament and began their respective runs in the second round after opening-round byes.
Tommy Paul Opens Up About Facing Jannik Sinner at the 2025 Italian Open SF
Paul defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-4; 19th seed Tomáš Macháč 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4; seventh seed Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-3; and 30th seed Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(4), 6-3 to secure his place in the semifinals of the 2025 Italian Open.
Sinner, meanwhile, triumphed over the likes of Mariano Navone with a score of 6-3, 6-4; lucky loser Jesper de Jong 6-4, 6-2; and 17th seed Francisco Cerúndolo 7-6(2), 6-3. In the quarterfinals, the World No. 1 produced an unforgettable masterclass against recently crowned Madrid champion Casper Ruud, 6-0, 6-1, to advance to the final four after just over one hour of play.
During the post-match press conference following his victory over Hurkacz, Tommy Paul praised Jannik Sinner and called him the “best player” in the world. He remarked that after watching the Italian play, it hardly seemed like he’d returned from a three-month suspension.
“Sinner is obviously the No. 1 player in the world, best player in the world. He’s excited to be playing here in Rome, I’m sure. I’ve been watching him play this week. It’s been fun to watch. Doesn’t feel like he’s rusty very much at all,” Tommy Paul said.
Paul also noted that the 23-year-old can generate power from seemingly nothing, calling it the best part of his game. He added that Sinner is “the cleanest ball-striker on tour.”
“I think even in the first match he seemed pretty good. Yeah, I mean, he’s a great player. He’s going to play good tennis at the big times. He hits the ball so big all the time. Feel like he can generate so much power from nothing. That’s one of the best parts of his game. Probably the cleanest ball-striker on tour. Obviously a great competitor with that. Yeah, I mean, he’s No. 1 in the world for a reason, you know?” Tommy Paul added.
A Look at Tommy Paul and Jannik Sinner’s Head-to-Head Record at the ATP Tour
Tommy Paul and Jannik Sinner have faced off four times on the ATP Tour, with the Italian emerging victorious thrice.
Their first meeting came in the first round of the 2022 Madrid Open, where the World No. 1 prevailed with a score of 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-3. The pair then clashed in the second round of the 2022 Eastbourne International, where Paul secured a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win.
Paul and Sinner next met in the semifinals of the 2023 Canadian Open, which the Italian won 6-4, 6-4. He then went on to overcome Alex de Minaur in the final to clinch his first Masters 1000 title.
Their most recent encounter was in the fourth round of the 2024 US Open, where Jannik Sinner won in straight sets with a 7-6(3), 7-6(5), 6-1 scoreline. He subsequently defeated Taylor Fritz in the final and secured his second of three Grand Slams so far.
Sinner is in pursuit of his fifth Masters 1000 title at the Italian Open, while Paul is bidding for his first. The winner will advance to face either third seed Carlos Alcaraz or eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti in the championship match on Sunday.
