Second set: *Sinner 6-1, 2-2 Ruud

Now then, Ruud hits his way to 0-30 with a little help from a couple of mishits from his opponent. It’s the first bit of pressure on the Sinner serve this evening…

Ice veined response from Sinner who recovers with four points in a row including a step in and crunching forehand that flew off like a tracer bullet. Impressive stuff from both men and we’re still on serve in the second.

Second set: Sinner 6-1, 1-2 Ruud*

Better from Ruud who skips to his chair after a solid hold.

This was decent:

Second set: *Sinner 6-1, 1-1 Ruud

“Stand in and give it a whack” says Ray Winstone, sorry – Tim Henman. That’s exactly what Ruud does, coming forward with nifty footwork and playing with controlled aggression. He pins Sinner back and dispatches the winner. Henman presumably purring at the side of court and patting his great big suntanned belly. Nope that’s Winstone again isn’t it.

Sinner holds despite Ruud coming at him, this is all looking a bit ominous. The crowd clearly think so too and start to get behind Ruud more, they don’t want to be heading home before they’ve got their Euros worth.

Second set: Sinner 6-1, 0-1 Ruud*

Ruud finds his first serve and goes to 40-15. Sinner goes too wide on a cross court forehand and the Norwegian gets on the board at the start of the second set. He needed that BIG TIME.

Jannik Sinner takes the first set 6-1!

First set: Sinner 5-1 Ruud*

Ruud’s timing is a little off, he’s shanked a few off the racket frame and he really can’t afford to give Sinner the freebies.

Lovely tennis! Ruud plays a drop shot with a whole lotta slice on it but somehow Sinner hunts it down and gets his racket underneath it. The fact it has come back does for Ruud who hits his off balance reply into the net. Sinner takes the double break and the crowd erupt. Ruud needs to sharpen up if this isn’t going to become something of a procession.

First set: *Sinner 4-1 Ruud

Have some of that! Ruud plays a stunning, blistering forehand pass down the line, Sinner can only watch on in awe as the ball flies by. Ruud has ramped up the aggression and it is paying off, he carves himself out two BREAK POINTS.

Sinner serves his way out of one and volleys his way out of another. No drama. Ruud pegs him back from advantage with some relentless hitting from the back of the court but Sinner isn’t top of the men’s tennis tree for no reason – he soaks up the pressure and goes up a level himself to hold. That could be the first set decided in that one game.

First set: Sinner 3-1 Ruud*

Well played Casper Ruud, the Norwegian settles into his game and looks sprightly, getting on the board with his serve at the second time of asking. Sinner not going to have it all his own way in Turin this evening.

First set: *Sinner 3-0 Ruud (*Denotes server) Sinner is in a hurry. He follows up the break with a warp speed service game. Ruud looks a bit startled as he heads for his chair.

First set: Sinner 2-0 Ruud* (*Denotes server)

Ruud approaches the net early doors, settling the nerves with a well executed forehand. What a rally! We might not see a better one all night y’know. Both players toying with the other, backhand, forehand, slice, power and precisiom. After a high octane exchange, Sinner elects for the drop shot, Ruud chases it up and makes it but Sinner plays a delicious volleyed lob that landed perfectly in the back corner. Ruud offers his applause but the Italian is too hot to handle and BREAKS at the first time of asking.

First set: *Sinner 1-0 Ruud (*Denotes server)

Sinner, dressed in black shirt, light blue shorts and white cap, prowls at the baseline ready to let loose. Ruud waits across the net with white bandana and all burgundy get up. It’s a solid first game from Sinner who opens his shoulders and finds the corners with both serves and groundstrokes, Ruud scrabbling along the baseline but unable to make much impact.

The players enter the arena to a cacophony of noise and some heavy strobing. Sinner wins the coin toss and elects to serve. They’ll have a few hits and then we’ll be underway.

Tim Henman and and Laura Robson want to see Ruud come out swinging, not being reckless but embracing his naturally aggressive game. Sinner has no real weak spots, he’s a monster on both sides of the court and is the current World Number 1.

“I know I’m the underdog but I’m going to go out there and do my best” said Ruud in his pre-match presser, adding that it is always ‘“good fun and a challenge” to come up against Sinner.

We might see him come to the net a bit more than usual as Sinner is so strong from the back of the court, it’ll be hard to go toe-to-toe with the Italian from back there, Ruud may well look to mix it up. “Why not!?” says Henman with a toothy chuckle.

Sinner is the favourite for this match and will be roared on by a local crowd in Turin, can Ruud pull off a shock? You’d think he needs to take the first set and give the big Italian a case of the collywobbles.

25 year old Ruud has made the ATP Finals three times now and lost the 2022 to final in straight sets to ol’ rubber legs himself – Novak Djokovic. His opponent this evening knows that feeling all too well, Sinner was dispatched by Djokovic in last year’s final in the same fashion.

Pre match reading:

Catch up on our man Tumaini Carayol’s report of Fritz’s win over Zverev, the Amercican has now knocked the cloud bothering German out of the US open, Wimbledon and the ATP Finals. The Bogeyman Cometh.