Carlos Alcaraz warms up for the French Open with Masters win in Rome
Ben Smith 
Carlos Alcaraz continued his fine record on clay by winning the Italian Open, and warm-up in style for the defence of his French Open title won in 2024.
The world number two will head to Roland Garros as the favourite with UK betting sites, ahead of Jannik Sinner who he beat in the final in Rome at the weekend.
Free Bets tennis expert Ben Smith has had a look at that burgeoning rivalry and what it could mean for the second major of the year.
Carlos Alcaraz won the Italian Open for the first time on Sunday, completing the set of all three Masters 1000 titles on clay.
With his 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 triumph over Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz extended his streak to four consecutive victories against the world number one since the start of 2024.
Sinner had two set points in the opener but failed to capitalise, as Alcaraz then edged the tie-break to snatch the set, silencing the crowd and deflating the home favourite. From there, the 22-year-old took control, sealing the win with some dazzling shotmaking and outstanding defence.
The disparity in second-serve points proved pivotal, with Alcaraz claiming 59 per cent compared to Sinner's 43 per cent. However, Alcaraz's brilliance in clutch moments defined the contest. He saved both break points against him and took full advantage of two of his three break point opportunities on Sinner’s serve.
Still, it was a satisfying week for Sinner, who had been absent since January after serving a doping ban. His return from suspension and Alcaraz’s red-hot form set the stage perfectly for Roland Garros, especially with the Spaniard climbing to No. 2 in the ATP rankings, putting the pair on course for a potential showdown in the final.
Before the tournament in Italy, three-time Grand Slam champion Sinner tempered expectations, viewing the event as a gauge of his current form. By securing five victories, he far exceeded those modest goals.
“It’s been a great result just to be here in the final,” he said after the defeat by Alcaraz. “We trained a lot. We can be proud of the results we achieved. We didn’t win the final, but we are happy with this trophy. It’s been a great success since we came here.”
Alcaraz was the underdog for the final in Rome, but he goes into Roland Garros as the favourite, and he would likely be odds-on in his next match with Sinner if that occurs on June 8th.
His run of four wins on the bounce against the Italian includes a five-set success in the semi-finals of last year’s French Open. Alcaraz was 2-1 down in that thrilling battle, but got over the line. The same happened in the final against Alexander Zverev, as the young phenom showed elite conditioning to clinch The Musketeers’ Cup.
Sinner has often found himself on the wrong side of fine margins in his rivalry with Alcaraz, but he’ll still believe he can turn the tide in Paris. His ruthless dismantling of clay specialist Casper Ruud in the Italian Open quarter-finals - dropping just one game - was a clear reminder of his sharpness, even with limited match play in 2025.
The two brightest young stars in the men’s game have never met in a Grand Slam final, but there is every chance that changes over the next few weeks. Sinner is unbeaten against players not named Alcaraz since August, while the defending French Open champion looks irresistible at the moment and will take some stopping.
