The seeded gamers spring into motion on Friday on the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, the place defending champion Novak Djokovic and residential favorite Jannik Sinner are amongst these searching for a quick begin in Rome.
Djokovic begins his bid for a seventh title on the Foro Italico in opposition to Tomas Martin Etcheverry, whereas the eighth-seeded Sinner faces the big-hitting Thanasi Kokkinakis. A #NextGenATP conflict between Holger Rune and Arthur Fils is one other standout second-round conflict within the prime half of the draw on the clay-court ATP Masters 1000.
ATPTour.com seems to be forward to a number of the intriguing matchups on the Friday schedule in Rome.
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG)
Taking down Djokovic within the early rounds in Rome is a activity that nobody has but managed. The World No. 1 could have suffered early losses in each clay-court occasions he has performed this yr (he went 2-2 throughout Monte-Carlo and Banja Luka), however the Serbian has by no means failed to achieve the quarter-finals in 16 appearances within the Italian capital.
On six of these events, together with 2022, Djokovic went on to carry the title on the Foro Italico. The person attempting to dent Djokovic’s standout 64-10 Rome report on Friday is Tomas Martin Etcheverry, the No. 61-ranked Argentine who has been handed the final word second-round take a look at on his Rome debut.
Etcheverry can take confidence from some glorious shows on the clay up to now this yr, together with reaching his first two ATP Tour finals in Santiago and Houston. The 23-year-old will hope to take advantage of any struggles that Djokovic, who’s enjoying for the primary time in three weeks after lacking Madrid, has adapting to the Italian clay.
“I really feel that it takes extra follow classes, extra weeks of spending time on the court docket and dealing in your pictures, working in your ways, on approach, adaptation to the court docket, than every other floor,” mentioned Djokovic on Thursday when requested concerning the problem of getting ready for clay. “Some gamers say that about grass. I have been lucky on grass, I adapt actually shortly. However clay is one thing that basically calls for time for me.”
It will likely be the primary ATP Head2Head assembly between Djokovic, chasing a record-extending thirty ninth Masters 1000 crown, and Etcheverry, whose first-round triumph in opposition to Luca Van Assche was simply his third at this degree. Can the Argentine spring a mammoth shock within the Everlasting Metropolis?
[8] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. [Q] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)
The 21-year-old Sinner seems to be to deliver his sturdy ATP Masters 1000 type to his homeland, however the eighth seed has been handed a stiff opening take a look at within the free-hitting Kokkinakis.
Sinner reached the semi-finals in Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo both aspect of a run to the championship match in Miami, incomes him a 12-3 report at Masters 1000 degree for the yr up to now. Regardless of not enjoying in Madrid, the World No. 8 feels able to chase his second tour-level title of the season in entrance of his residence followers.
“I made loads of good [results]. The beginning of the season was good and I am comfortable to be again right here, particularly in Rome,” mentioned Sinner, whose type has carried him to fifth place within the Pepperstone ATP Dwell Race To Turin, on Tuesday. “It is a particular match for all Italians and in addition clearly for me. Bodily, we labored very arduous for one week now and I am comfortable to be right here.”
Will Sinner Consolidate Dwell Race Standing In Rome?
On his day, Kokkinakis’ mixture of massive serving and highly effective groundstrokes can take a look at anybody on Tour, even a high-class mover resembling Sinner, though the Italian leads 2-0 within the pair’s ATP Head2Head sequence. That features a straight-sets win in Kokkinakis’s hometown of Adelaide in January, and the Australian qualifier will hope to return the favour and ship the locals residence disenchanted once more as he chases a second victory on his main-draw debut in Rome.
[7] Holger Rune (DEN) vs. [Q] Arthur Fils (FRA)
A #NextGenATP battle between established High 10 star Rune and the fast-rising Fils ought to present an intriguing spectacle for followers on Grand Stand Area.
Rune will hope that his expertise at this degree proves decisive in opposition to 18-year-old Fils. The Dane, who turned 20 two weeks in the past, gained his maiden Masters 1000 trophy final November in Paris and reached one other remaining in Monte-Carlo final month. But regardless of sitting at a career-high No. 7 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Rune’s conflict with the World No. 119 Fils shall be his main-draw debut in Rome.
The shortage of any actual weaknesses in Rune’s recreation makes Fils’ capacity to remain constant key, though the Frenchman can be greater than able to producing moments of magic at essential moments. He did precisely that en path to back-to-back ATP Tour semi-finals in Montpellier and Marseille in February, performances which made him a direct favorite together with his residence followers.
Fils can even take confidence from defeating Juan Manuel Cerundolo within the opening spherical on Wednesday for his first main-draw win at a Masters 1000. His subsequent problem is to keep up that type in opposition to an opponent who holds a 22-9 report for the yr and lifted his fourth ATP Tour title in Munich just below three weeks in the past.
Additionally In Motion…
Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime be part of Djokovic, Sinner and Rune as High 10 stars in second-round motion on Friday. The fourth-seeded Ruud, a two-time semi-finalist in Rome, takes on Arthur Rinderknech, whereas the tenth seed Auger-Aliassime chases his first clay-court win of the yr in opposition to qualifier Alexei Popyrin.
Stan Wawrinka made a quick begin to his Rome marketing campaign on Wednesday with a straight-sets win in opposition to Ilya Ivashka, and the 2008 finalist seeks to again up that consequence in opposition to twenty sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov on Grand Stand Area. The Eleventh-seeded Karen Khachanov, a quarter-finalist in Madrid final week, faces Gregoire Barrere, whereas Thirteenth-seeded Cameron Norrie meets qualifier Alexandre Muller.
Except for cheering on Sinner, Italian followers will head to the long-lasting Courtroom Pietrangeli to witness Fabio Fognini tackle thirtieth seed Miomir Kecmanovic. The 35-year-old wild card Fognini, a quarter-finalist in 2018, defeated former World No. 1 Andy Murray within the first spherical.