Analyzing the challenge for 'Sky Sports', former British ace Tim Henman confessed that Paul should have had more courage: ”I wonder because he was so successful in the first set, winning it 6-1, he really did not come forward much at all. He stayed back in the rallies and was patient and if anything waited for unforced errors from Sinner.”

The combined age of 45 years and 275 days between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz is the youngest in a men's singles final at the Italian Open since 2009 (Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal)

A couple of weeks in Rome that started with the return of the prodigal son and then took in the election of a new Pope will have a fittingly blockbuster ending: the world’s two best male tennis players facing off for the Italian Open title.