Saturday features second round ATP singles matches, and third round WTA singles matches.

For this first time since 2022, Rafael Nadal will face a top 10 player, as he squares off against Hubert Hurkacz on Saturday afternoon.  Scheduled to begin at the same time is the most marquee women’s match of the day, as Daria Kasatkina takes on Naomi Osaka in a rematch from the 2018 Indian Wells championship match.

Other action on Saturday includes top names such as Madrid champions Iga Swiatek and Andrey Rublev, defending Rome champion Daniil Medvedev, and reigning US Open champ Coco Gauff.

Throughout the tournament, this preview will analyze the day’s two most prominent matches, while highlighting the other notable matches on the schedule.  Saturday’s play begins at 11:00am local time.

Hubert Hurkacz (7) vs. Rafael Nadal (PR) – Not Before 1:00pm on Center Court

In Madrid, Nadal was able to summon some of his clay court magic, winning three matches at the same tournament for this first time in nearly two years.  And that run was highlighted by a straight-set victory over 11^th-ranked Alex de Minaur.  On Thursday in Rome, he didn’t play his best, but was still able to come from a set down to defeat qualifier Zizou Bergs.  However, on Saturday Rafa will face the literal biggest test of his comeback to date.

Hurkacz is 23-10 this season, and won a clay court title last month in Estoril, though it’s worth noting he did not play anyone ranked inside the top 75 at that event.  In Monte Carlo and Madrid, he suffered fourth round losses to Casper Ruud and Taylor Fritz, which were far from embarrassing defeats.  Hubi’s record in Rome is a meager 2-4 lifetime, and he has lost his last four matches at Foro Italico.  In fact, Hurkacz has never won a match in Rome during the month of May, as his two victories came in 2020, when this tournament was played during September, and in front of no fans.

Surprisingly, Nadal and Hurkacz have never before played each other.  The big serving and groundstroke game of Hubi will be a lot for a weathered Rafa to subdue, especially considering Nadal’s own weakened serve, and his more limited movement.  It’s always a risk to not favor The King of Clay on this surface, but I’m giving the slight edge to Hurkacz on Saturday.

Daria Kasatkina (10) vs. Naomi Osaka – Not Before 1:00pm on Grand Stand Arena

Their Indian Wells final in 2018 was quite surprising at the time.  Osaka had never won a WTA title, and had only appeared in one previous final, while Kasatkina only possessed one WTA Title.  Six years later, Naomi is a four-time Major champ and mother of one, and Daria is a regular fixture in the top 20, as well as a Major semifinalist.

Osaka is just 11-8 since returning in January from child birth, and clay has never been her preferred surface.  But on Thursday, she earned one of the most impressive wins of her comeback, taking out 19^th-seeded Marta Kostyuk in straight sets.  On Saturday, Noami is vying to win three matches at a clay court event for the first time in over five years.

Kasatkina is 19-10 in 2024, and has been the runner-up at three tournaments this year (Adelaide, Abu Dhabi, Charleston).  In the Charleston final, she was thumped by Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-1, and Collins plays a pretty similar brand of tennis to that of Osaka.  Daria reached the semifinals in Rome two years ago, the same year she achieved her Major semifinal at Roland Garros.  She owns more wins in Rome than any other WTA 1000 event.

So what will win out on Saturday: the power and aggression of Osaka, or the guile and defense of Kasatkina?  The Indian Wells championship match from over six years ago remains their only head-to-head matchup.  On Saturday, I’m leaning towards the ball-striking abilities of Naomi to prevail.

Other Notable Matches on Saturday:

Iga Swiatek (1) vs. Yulia Putintseva – Swiatek is now 33-4 this season, after saving match points to win the Madrid final against Aryna Sabalenka.  Putintseva was a quarterfinalist in Madrid, and held match points of her own in that quarterfinal against Elena Rybakina, before losing 7-5 in the third.  Iga is 3-0 against Yulia, and has won all three of their matches in straight sets.

Jack Draper vs. Daniil Medvedev (2) – Medvedev was also a quarterfinalist in Madrid, where he was forced to retire after losing the first set to Jiri Lehecka due to injury.  Draper beat Borna Coric in straight sets in the first round, and now faces Medvedev for the first time.

Beatriz Haddad Maia (12) vs. Madison Keys (18) – Haddad Maia was another quarterfinalist in Madrid, while Keys went all the way to the semis, with both losing to Swiatek.  Their only prior encounter occurred last year on a hard court, and went to Beatriz in straights.

Coco Gauff (3) vs. Jaqueline Cristian (LL) – Gauff is a modest 4-2 on clay this year, and defeated Magdalena Frech in the last round.  Cristian actually received a first round bye after losing in qualifying, as the lucky loser took Barbora Krejcikova’s place in the draw. 

Stefanos Tsitsipas (6) vs. Jan-Lennard Struff – After a rough start to the season, Tsitsipas has exceled on clay, winning Monte Carlo and advancing to the final in Barcelona.  But so has Struff, who won his first ATP title in Munich, and played an epic match in Madrid against Carlos Alcaraz, losing in a third-set tiebreak.  These players have split six meetings at tour-level, though both matches on clay were won by Struff.

Marcos Giron vs. Andrey Rublev (4) – Rublev arrived in Madrid on a four-match losing streak, making his run to his second Masters 1000 title all the more impressive.  Three years ago in Rotterdam, he defeated Giron in straight sets, and Marcos arrived in Rome on a four-match losing streak of his own at all levels.

Saturday’s full Order of Play is here.

Novak Djokovic spoke about overcoming doubts after the Serb’s 6-3 6-1 victory over Corentin Moutet in Rome.

The six-time champion was broken in his opening two service games but recovered to only drop two more games on his way to victory.

It’s a victory that’s not only important to his Roland Garros preparations but takes him one step closer to a 1,100th ATP tour victory.

Speaking after his 86 minute win over the Charismatic Frenchman Djokovic admitted it was harder than practice sets in training which explained his slow start, “Match play is different to practise sets,” Djokovic explained to the ATP website.

“I played a lefty and I have not practised with a lefty in a while, so it took me a little time to adjust to the different rotations of the ball. The first four games were quite bad from me. A bad start. I lost both my services games.

“But then I played well. I only lost one game from 1-3 down. Corentin is a very talented player. He has great hands and is very unpredictable. You don’t know what comes up next, so I had to stay focused, which I did and it is a good opening match.”

Djokovic will now aim to complete a landmark moment in his career when he plays the in-form Alejandro Tabilo in the third round.

Tabilo recently won the Challenger event in Aix en Provence so this will be perfect for Djokovic who is only playing his second clay event of the season and is in need of testing matches.

There have been many doubts circulating around Djokovic as he continues to change his team and pick his schedule carefully.

However the Serb is looking forward to once again overcoming those doubts in Rome, “You always have doubts,” Djokovic explained.

“Every single match. It is just the manner of how you deal with them and how long they stay there. How long they overwhelm your whole being and mind. It is an internal battle always more than an external battle. If you win that battle the external battle becomes a little bit more likely for you to win.”

Djokovic will play his third round match on Sunday.

Friday features second round action in both the ATP and WTA singles draws.

Making a concerted effort to limit his 2024 schedule, this is only the fifth event of the year for Novak Djokovic, a six-time champion in Rome.  Two months ago in Indian Wells, he suffered a shocking upset to a lucky loser.  On Friday, he plays his opening match in Rome against another lucky loser, Corentin Moutet.

WTA second round matches on Friday include two of the top players of the year: Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.  But the day’s most intriguing women’s encounter may be between three-time Major finalist Ons Jabeur and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.

Throughout the tournament, this preview will analyze the day’s two most prominent matches, while highlighting the other notable matches on the schedule.  Friday’s play begins at 11:00am local time.

Ons Jabeur (8) vs. Sofia Kenin – Not Before 1:00pm on Pietrangeli

2024 has been a tough season thus far for Jabeur, who is just 6-8.  She’s been hampered by a right knee injury for a while now, which has limited her play since last season.  However, half of her six victories this season came within the last two weeks in Madrid, which included wins over two seeded players (Fernandez, Ostapenko). 

Kenin has been struggling for years now, as she fights to rediscover her 2020 form, when she was named the “WTA Player of the Year.”  She’s also fought injuries, as well as illness, and has split with and reunited with her dad as her coach.  Sofia is only 2-9 this season at tour level, but in the first played some of her best tennis in a long time, defeating Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-2.

So which one of these former top four players will pick up some needed momentum on Friday?  Kenin actually leads their head-to-head 5-2 at all levels, and notably defeated Jabeur in straights sets at both the 2020 Australian Open and the 2020 US Open.  However, their most recent encounter, three years ago in Miami, went to Ons in three sets.  And based on recent form, Jabeur must be favored to advance, especially on a surface that will be a bit kinder to her right knee.

Novak Djokovic (1) vs. Corentin Moutet (LL) – Not Before 7:00pm on Center Court

It is quite odd to be in the second week of May, and have a seemingly rather-healthy Novak Djokovic holding a record of just 11-4 on the year.  After losing to Jannik Sinner two out of three times to end 2023, and losing for the first time ever in the Australian Open semifinals or finals to the same player, Novak has not seemed like to the same player.  He was upset in his second match in Indian Wells by Italian lucky loser Luca Nardi, and lost a three-setter in the Monte Carlo semifinals to Casper Ruud.  Those are his only two appearances to date since January.

Moutet is a fiery, flashy Frenchman, but is only 6-6 this season at tour level.  He lost in qualifying earlier this week to Thiago Monteiro, yet received a lucky loser spot in the main draw, and came back from a set down on Thursday to beat Roman Safiullin in three.  Corentin is 1-2 lifetime in the third round of Masters 1000 tournaments.

One of those two losses came against Djokovic, five years ago in Bercy.  Novak took that match in straight sets, which is their only prior meeting.  On Friday, Djokovic is a clear favorite to win again, despite any rust he may be feeling.

Other Notable Matches on Friday:

Irina-Camelia Begu vs. Elena Rybakina (4) – Rybakina is now an excellent 30-5 on the year, after losing in the semifinals of Madrid last week to Sabalenka in a third-set tiebreak.  And Elena is the defending champion of this event.  She’s 0-1 against Begu, though that contest took place seven seasons ago.

Taylor Fritz (11) vs. Fabio Fognini (WC) – Fritz is having quite a solid clay court season, having reached the final in Munich, and the semis in Madrid.  Fognini is just 4-2 this year at tour level, and defeated Dan Evans in the first round.  These players split two meetings on hard courts several years ago.

Katie Volynets (Q) vs. Aryna Sabalenka (2) – Sabalenka is 20-6 in 2024, after losing an epic final last week in Madrid to Iga Swiatek.  Volynets has won 25 matches this season at all levels, including three this week.  This is their first career meeting.

Friday’s full Order of Play is here.