The official draw ceremony of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia was held on Monday at the Treviri Fountain in Rome. The ceremony was held by last year’s US Open finalist and Italian risiong star Federico Cinà.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner will start his campaign in the second against either Mariano Navone or Federico Cinà, who won his first Masters 1000 match in Miami last March.
Sinner will play his second tournament of the year and the first since winning his second consecutive Australian Open after completing a three-month period of ineligibility in a case resolution agreement with WADA.
Sinner will face a tough draw, as he could play against either Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Frances Tiafoe in the third round, Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round and last week’s Madrid Masters 1000 champion and two-time Roland Garros finalist Casper Ruud in the quarter final. Sinner has a record of 9 wins to 5 defeats on the clay courts of the Rome Foro Italico and has never reached the semifinals in Rome. He kept the expectations low during the press conference in Rome on the eve of the Masters 1000 tournament.
“It’s a very, very low expectation tournament in general, talking results wise. For me, what’s missing is the complete feedback of where my level is. That’s going to come slowly with time. After the first round match, I’m going to have a better picture of myself, where I am at. My main goal is Paris Roland Garros. To be honest, I was barely looking at any match, especially in the beginning. Of course I saw the results because it’s normal, but the tennis itself, I was not watching as much. I started again from Madrid, trying to study and then trying to understand some of the players which are very interesting to see. For me, what’s most important is the Race To Turin, which gives you a better picture of how players [are] in that moment. Now I’m happy in the position I am, but I would be happy even if I’m No. 3 or No. 4 in the world, to be honest, I’m just happy to be back here. I’m happy to play again in front of the fans.”
“It’s very strange feeling again in the beginning to be around so many people and attention. But it’s nice to be back, me and my team are very happy.”
Sinner practised with Jiri Lehecka on Monday.
Ruud will open his campaign in the second round against either Roman Safiulin or Alexander Bublik in the second round. Ruud could face a tough section of the draw that features local star Matteo Berrettini, who is making his return to the Rome Masters 1000 tournament in his native city, and this year’s Munich ATP 500 tournament.
Taylor Fritz has been drawn in the second quarter that also features Andrey Rublev, Hubert Hukacz and Jakub Mensik. Fritz, who lost to Jannik Sinner in the US Open final and in the ATP Finals championships match, could face a potential quarter final clash against Alex De Minaur.
Carlos Alcaraz will make his come-back in Rome after withdrawing from the Masters 1000 in Madrid due to an adductor injury during the final of the Barcelona Open. Alcaraz, who will play for the second time in Rome, has been drawn in the third quarter of the draw. The four-time Grand Slam champion will face against either Jan-Lennard Struff or Yoshihito Nishioka. Alcaraz is seeded to face a fourth round against Grigor Dimitrov and a potential quarter final against the winner of a Round of 16 clash between Jack Draper and Holger Rune. Draper won his first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and finished runner-up to Casper Ruud in the Madrid Mutua Open final. Rune beat Alcaraz in the final of the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona.
Alcaraz is on a collision course for a potential semifinal clash against Alexander Zverev, who will open his Rome Masters 1000 title defence against either Argentina’s Ugo Camilo Carabelli or a qualifier. Zverev, who won two titles and reached three finals in Rome, could face a tough draw against Denis Shapovalov in the third round before a possible fourth round clash against either Arthur Fils or Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Danil Medvedev, 2023 champion in Rome, wlll open his campaign against either a qualifier or Christopher O’Connell. Medvedev is seeded to clash against Lorenzo Musetti for a spot in the quarter final. Musetti made his debut in the top 10 after reaching his first semifinal in Monte-Carlo and the semifinal in Madrid. The Italian will start his campaign against Hamad Medjedovic or a qualifier.
