Italian Open: Jannik Sinner beats Tommy Paul to set up final against Carlos Alcaraz

ROME: World No. 1 Jannik Sinner rallied from a set down to defeat American Tommy Paul 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the semi-final on Saturday, setting up a highly anticipated Italian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz at the Foro Italico.

Paul dominated the opening set, surging to a 5-0 lead as Sinner struggled with 13 unforced errors, handing the set to the American in convincing fashion.

However, the Italian star mounted a stunning comeback, winning nine consecutive games to completely shift the momentum in his favor.

With the victory, the 23-year-old extended his unbeaten streak to 26 matches and now stands just one win away from becoming the first Italian man since Adriano Panatta in 1976 to win the Rome title.

Sinner admitted his poor start in the first set, saying it was "a punch in my face."

"But I tried to stay there mentally, trying to understand what might work a little bit better," Sinner said. "Tennis can change quickly."

There were brief concerns toward the end of the match as Sinner was seen wincing and clutching his thigh.

"Since the third round, I’ve had a small blister under my foot which doesn’t allow me to move well in some moments," he said. "Leg-wise I’m not concerned, it’s just a bit tight.

"There are no excuses. With the adrenaline, there’s just going to be a lot of energy on Sunday. I’m 100% not concerned."

Earlier, Carlos Alcaraz secured his spot in the final by defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 7-6 (4) in Friday’s semi-final.

Sunday’s final will mark the first meeting between Sinner and Alcaraz since October, when Alcaraz claimed victory in the China Open final. However, Sinner has remained unbeaten since that loss.

"He's playing great. I’ve been watching his matches," Alcaraz said.

"His level is really high right now. Every time I play against him, it’s always a battle, always really, really tough. I kind of enjoy those moments," he added.