Day Ten at the Foro Italico delivered one straightforward semi-final and one proper war of attrition.
Jannik Sinner fought through a tough physical battle and an overnight rain suspension to defeat Daniil Medvedev and reach his second consecutive Rome final.
On the other side of the draw, Casper Ruud took full advantage of a fatigued Luciano Darderi to reach his first final in the Italian capital.
Sinner once 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 favourite as he chases the Career Golden Masters and a first Rome title, but he showed some legginess during his semi-final and Ruud can be solid enough to take advantage when the top guys aren’t at 100%.
Day Ten Italian Open 2026 Semi-Final Results
| Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner (1) | Daniil Medvedev (7) | 6-2 5-7 6-4 |
| Casper Ruud (23) | Luciano Darderi (18) | 6-1 6-1 |
Match Recap
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 fatigued Luciano Darderi.
The Norwegian was clinical from the start, using his strong forehand and consistent baseline play to take control.
A one-hour, 59-minute rain delay interrupted the match with Ruud already leading 4-1 in the first set, but he came out even sharper after the break. He wrapped up the first set 6-1 and 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 a.m. 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 Rome semi-final 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 on the dirt. Clay court beast? Not sure I’d put him in that category, but he’s been one of the better players over the last few years.
Match Stats
| Key Stats | Casper Ruud | Luciano Darderi |
|---|---|---|
| Winners | 20 | 9 |
| Unforced Errors | 16 | 23 |
| Aces | 3 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 55% (23/42) | 46% (22/48) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 74% (17/23) | 59% (13/22) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 63% (12/19) | 23% (6/26) |
| Break Points Saved | 50% (1/2) | 33% (3/9) |
| Service Games | 86% (6/7) | 14% (1/7) |
| 1st Return Points Won | 41% (9/22) | 26% (6/23) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 77% (20/26) | 37% (7/19) |
| Break Points Won | 67% (6/9) | 50% (1/2) |
| Return Games | 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 Games | 86% (6/7) | 14% (1/7) |
| Return Games | 86% (6/7) | 14% (1/7) |
| Total Games | 86% (12/14) | 14% (2/14) |
| Max Games In A Row | 8 | 1 |
Highlights
Jannik Sinner (1) def. Daniil 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 that was suspended overnight due to rain.
Sinner dominated the first set and looked in control, but Medvedev raised his level significantly in the second, pushing the match into a decider.
Sinner broke for a 4-2 lead in the third set before heavy rain forced a suspension late on Friday night with the score at 6-2, 5-7, 4-2.
Returning on Saturday afternoon (after an 18-hour break), Sinner showed excellent composure. He held to love, created two match points on Medvedev’s serve, and closed out the victory on his own serve to complete a hard-fought win.
A bit of a weird match due to the rain delay, but prior to that, it got interesting. Sinner barely missed a ball in the first few games, but towards the end of the set, Medvedev started winning more points, and by the second set, he was able to assert himself.
Sinner went from aggressor to having to cover a lot of court, and he began to wane physically, showing lots of discomfort, heavy breathing, and sickness. He received a medical timeout for his leg, which appeared to be cramping, which isn’t allowed.
Given Sinner’s physical woes, I thought Medvedev was the favourite for the third, but Sinner dug in, upped his aggression and got the break in the third.
Despite the loss, Medvedev can leave Rome pretty happy; he had a soft draw until the semi finals but was the first person to really test Sinner and he has bounced back well after his double bagel loss in Monte Carlo.
Match Stats
| Key Stats | Jannik Sinner | Daniil Medvedev |
|---|---|---|
| Winners | 39 | 23 |
| Unforced Errors | 30 | 37 |
| Aces | 7 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 2 | 7 |
| 1st Serve % | 60% (55/92) | 63% (66/104) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 75% (41/55) | 67% (44/66) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 59% (22/37) | 39% (15/38) |
| Break Points Saved | 71% (5/7) | 60% (6/10) |
| Service Games | 87% (13/15) | 73% (11/15) |
| 1st Return Points Won | 33% (22/66) | 25% (14/55) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 61% (23/38) | 41% (15/37) |
| Break Points Won | 40% (4/10) | 29% (2/7) |
| Return Games | 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 Games | 87% (13/15) | 73% (11/15) |
| Return Games | 27% (4/15) | 13% (2/15) |
| Total Games | 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)