American Gauff will face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in Saturday’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours.
Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in Madrid earlier this month.
In his previous matches Sinner looked to be still finding his feet after his suspension, accepted from the World Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for traces of clostebol in March last year.
But the 23-year-old demolished sixth seed Ruud in just over an hour with an ominous display of tennis, his domination such that the home fans at the packed centre court, seemingly out of sympathy, began to cheer the rare points that Ruud won.
“I was feeling great on court today. I think we all saw that,” said Sinner. “How I felt today was very, very positive signs for me. I was serving well and also returning well. Moving great on the court, so I’m very happy about that.”
Ruud even got the loudest celebration of the match when he held his serve for the only time, in game three of the second set, holding his arms aloft in ironic joy.
“He was just everywhere,” said a bewildered Ruud. “It’s just like playing a wall that you know shoots hundred miles an hour balls at you all the time.”
Tommy Paul, a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 winner over Hubert Hurkacz in the day’s first match, will have wondered what on earth he can do to stop Sinner if the Italian brings that form to Friday’s last-four clash.
Sinner won the first set in just 27 minutes, giving up only seven points as he stalked the court with intent, dressed all in black as he has been all week.
And he then maintained his record of not dropping a set in the tournament to not so much stroll as smash into the last four, and send a message to Carlos Alcaraz.
Spaniard Alcaraz, Sinner’s key Grand Slam rival ahead of the French Open, will contest the other semi-final with Lorenzo Musetti on Friday afternoon, with the blockbuster final tennis fans wanted still on.
Gauff prevailed on a centre court left mostly empty by fans who headed for the exits in large numbers after watching Sinner’s tennis clinic.
Former US Open winner Gauff won her third straight match against Olympic gold medallist Zheng, after coming through a tie in which she made 15 double faults on serve and there were a combined total of 156 unforced errors.
The 21-year-old is looking for her first title of the season after losing the Madrid final to Sabalenka, and against home hope Paolini will find herself in a much fiercer atmosphere than the soporific crowd which stayed till past midnight to watch her reach her second final of the year.
“I told myself I’m ready to go home,” said an exhausted Gauff. “It was tough for me, finding my rhythm especially at night, it was so slow, I just tried to stay in there. I was frustrated. She forced me to get out of my comfort zone.”
Sixth seed Paolini is the third Italian woman to reach the Foro Italico final, and the first since her doubles partner Sara Errani was thumped by Serena Williams in 2014.
Late bloomer Paolini, 29, will have a chance to be the first woman from the Mediterranean nation to win in Rome since Raffaella Reggi in 1985, after beating Peyton Stearns 7-5, 6-1.
“It’s a privilege to be in this position. I matured late as a tennis player but everyone has their own path. Some mature earlier and some later,” said Paolini. “I’m just enjoying it without thinking too much about the past.”
Paolini could yet win both the singles and women’s doubles tournaments, with her and Errani taking on Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider in the semi-finals on Friday. (AFP)
