ROME (Reuters)

Carlos Alcaraz had little trouble dismantling Jannik Sinner in the Italian Open final, sealing a 7-6(5) 6-1 victory to snap the world number one’s 26-match winning streak and break the hearts of the home crowd on Sunday.

Alcaraz edged a tense opening set in a tiebreak after he and Sinner traded blows from the baseline on a warm evening in front of a packed Centre Court crowd.

However, from the second set onwards, Alcaraz silenced the home crowd as he completely outplayed Sinner, cruising to victory in their first-ever clash in a Masters 1000 final.

“I’m proud of myself, with the way I approached the match mentally. Tactically, I think I played pretty well from the first point until the last one,” Alcaraz said in an on-court interview.

“I’m just really happy to get my first Rome (title), hopefully it’s not going to be the last one.”

For Sinner, it was particularly disappointing that he could not make it a double celebration for Italy after compatriot Jasmine Paolini won the women’s title a day earlier.

Sinner was playing his first tournament since winning the Australian Open in January and was hoping to become the first Italian man to triumph in Rome since Adriano Panatta in 1976, but he had to settle for second best.

Sinner, who was making his comeback this week after serving a three-month doping ban, thanked his family for their support.

“After three months coming here making this result means a lot to me, a lot to my team also. We worked a lot to be here. Happy also with my family and everything,” he said.

“A special thank you to my brother, who, rather than being here, is in Imola to watch Formula 1,” he concluded to the laughter of the crowd.

The Spaniard Alcaraz has now beaten Sinner in their last four meetings, firing a warning shot to his rivals ahead of the upcoming French Open where he is set to defend his title.

“Beating Jannik, winning Rome. Both things mix together and give (me) great confidence going to Paris,” Alcaraz said.