Alcaraz, who will climb to world number two behind Sinner on Monday, won his third title of the season, eventually dominating Sinner and silencing the over 10,000 fans packed into the centre court stands.

The Spaniard claimed victory in his fourth final of the season and sent a message to the rest of the men's tour for the French Open, where he will defend the title once it starts next weekend.

"Beating Jannik and winning in Rome, I think both things mixed together give you a great confidence coming to Paris," said Alcaraz.

"I'm going to enjoy this moment with my family, with my team, friends that came from home. And a few days rest just to realise what I've achieved, that is important as well. And then my focus is on Roland Garros."

Sinner tops the world rankings but his 26-match winning streak was ended by Alcaraz, also the man who had last beaten him in last year's China Open final.

Alcaraz is the only man to beat Sinner in a tour final since the start of 2024, when his Italian rival began his rise to the top of men's tennis and three Grand Slam titles.

The 22-year-old has had a hugely impressive clay court swing this season even with the thigh injury which cost him the chance to compete at the Madrid Open.

Alcaraz won his second Masters 1000 title of the year in Rome to go alongside his victory at Monte Carlo last month. He also reached the final in Barcelona.

- Alcaraz triumphs -

Finishing runner-up is still a hugely positive result for Sinner in his first tournament since his three-month ban for testing positive twice in March last year for traces of clostebol, a contamination doping authorities accepted was accidental.

Sinner let two set points slip in game 12 of the first set and that was the turning point in the match, with Alcaraz rattling off the first three points of the tie-break before going ahead in the match.

Alcaraz then moved through the gears to win the first five games of the second set as he powered to a first Rome crown.

Sinner's encouraging return though sets up the possibility of another final clash with Alcaraz at Roland Garros, with the two young stars of men's tennis set to be the two top seeds in Paris.

Sinner said on court that Alcaraz would be "the man to beat" at Paris and then jokingly thanked his brother Mark for "preferring to go to Imola to watch the Formula One Grand Prix instead of being here".

The 23-year-old was gunning to become the first Italian man to win at the Foro Italico since Adriano Panatta back in 1976, but he failed to make it a hat-trick of triumphs for home players in the Italian capital.

Earlier Jasmine Paolini became the first woman since Monica Seles in 1990 to win the Rome singles and doubles titles when she and Sara Errani beat Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens 6-4, 7-5.

Paolini secured that brace of victories a day after overcoming former US Open champion Coco Gauff in straight sets, and becoming the first Italian woman to win the Rome singles title since Raffaella Reggi in 1985.