What was noticed about Coco Gauff in her match against Qinwen Zheng which hadn’t been seen at all at the Italian Open previously

In the Italian Open 2025 quarter-final on May 15, Jannik Sinner delivered a commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory over Casper Ruud, advancing to the semifinals in just 64 minutes. Post-match, Sinner claimed that playing the match at night provided him with a significant advantage. He explained that the cooler evening conditions at the Foro Italico reduced the bounce of Ruud’s topspin-heavy forehand, which typically thrives on clay in warmer, daytime conditions. “These conditions, playing at night against Casper is a little bit better from my point of view, because he cannot make the ball bounce as much,” Sinner stated. This tactical edge allowed Sinner to neutralize Ruud’s clay-court strengths, as his aggressive groundstrokes and precise winners—22 compared to Ruud’s seven—dominated the low-bouncing court.

Sinner’s performance was described as near-perfection, with TennisViz data rating it a 9.62/10, the highest on the ATP Tour that year. He won 71% of points, converted six of nine break points, and didn’t face a single break point on his serve. Ruud, fresh off a Madrid Open title, managed only one game, celebrating it with a wry smile. The scheduling also stirred controversy, as Ruud’s prior match against Jaume Munar was delayed by rain and rescheduled late, leaving him with less recovery time compared to Sinner’s rest day. Critics, including Coco Vandeweghe on Tennis Channel, called this “absolutely disgraceful,” arguing it disadvantaged Ruud. Despite this, Sinner’s clinical display—bolstered by his 3-0 head-to-head lead over Ruud and home-crowd support—underscored his dominance, setting up a semifinal clash with Tommy Paul