Whatever it was, the top-ranked Sinner cranked up his level to near-perfection at times in a 6-0, 6-1 dismantling of Ruud in the Italian Open quarterfinals on Thursday — a day after Sinner was granted an audience with the new tennis-playing pope just down the road at the Vatican.

Or maybe Jannik Sinner just likes playing against Casper Ruud. Whatever it was, the top-ranked Sinner cranked up his level to near perfection at times in a 6-0, 6-1 dismantling of Ruud in the Italian Open quarterfinals — after Sinner was granted an audience with the new tennis-playing pope just down the road at the Vatican.

Ruud managed to win just seven points in the first set and, by the time he finally won a game, raised his arms in mock celebration. Sinner said before the Italian Open that he had