Rome, May 16 (IANS) Jannik Sinner moved within touching distance of another ATP Masters 1000 final before heavy rain forced the suspension of his dramatic semifinal clash against Daniil Medvedev at Italian Open on Friday night.

The world No. 1 was leading 6-2, 5-7, 4-2 when play was halted at 9:45 p.m. local time due to persistent rain on Campo Centrale in Rome. Medvedev was serving at Ad/40 when officials called the players off court.

The semifinal will resume on Saturday afternoon ahead of the women’s singles final between Coco Gauff and Elina Svitolina.

Before the interruption, the contest had already produced over two hours of high-quality drama and momentum swings.

Sinner dominated the opening set with his trademark aggressive baseline game, racing through 6-2 against the former world No. 1. However, the Italian began to show visible signs of discomfort during the second set, repeatedly bending over between points while struggling to catch his breath.

Despite battling back from a break down to level the set, Sinner was unable to prevent Medvedev from forcing a decider. The Russian raised his intensity considerably, mixing solid defence from the baseline with clever drop shots aimed at exploiting Sinner’s movement.

The second set marked only the third set Sinner has lost during his extraordinary ATP Masters 1000 winning streak, which currently stands at 32 matches. The Italian had not lost more than four games in a set throughout his run to the semifinals in Rome.

For a brief period, Medvedev appeared capable of derailing Sinner’s bid for a sixth consecutive Masters 1000 crown. But the Italian regained control early in the third set, securing a crucial break for a 2-1 lead before extending the advantage to 4-2 prior to the rain delay.

Sinner now stands just two games away from reaching a second straight final at the Foro Italico and keeping alive his pursuit of a rare piece of tennis history. The 24-year-old is aiming to join Novak Djokovic as only the second player to complete the Career Golden Masters by winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.

The Italian has also been in sensational form throughout the 2026 season, carrying a 35-2 record and saving five of the seven break points he has faced in the semifinal so far.

Medvedev, meanwhile, is chasing his second Rome title after triumphing in 2023 and is also seeking a second clay-court trophy of his career. The Russian entered the match having already lifted titles in Brisbane and Dubai earlier this season.

The winner of the semifinal will face Casper Ruud in Sunday’s championship match.

–IANS

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