The 2026 Italian Open has witnessed an incredible carnage where 11 top-seeded players across the WTA and ATP got wiped out on Day 1, including America’s Ben Shelton and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Several top contenders faced an early round defeat as rising tennis stars made their mark on the grounds of Foro Italico.
The Internazionali BNL d’Italia is currently running its 83rd edition at the historic Foro Italico in Rome and usually acts as a red-clay warm-up before Roland Garros. Top favorites Aryna Sabalenka, Ben Shelton, and a few more had entered the tournament with a first-round bye and were expected to effortlessly sweep through the second. However, Rome quickly turned to night as a series of upsets struck across the WTA and ATP.
Day 1 Rome Results Feat. Ben Shelton & Aryna Sabalenka
Ben Shelton vs Nikoloz Basilashvili
No. 5-seeded Ben Shelton went up against World No. 117 Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili and faced a 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 defeat. Shelton made every effort during the early rounds to secure a set, however, he failed to maintain a steady rhythm on the red surface, which came as a huge favor for Basilashvili, who charged through most of the sets and bagged a win.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Sorana Cirstea
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka suffered a chaotic third-round loss against the 36-year-old Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea. Sabalenka made her signature early dominance look effortless and also bagged an early set win, however, during the final set, she was seen in visible pain due to a lower back ache.
Despite the shift, Cirstea remained composed and quickly took control of the match and bagged victory in 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. Cirstea will next be seen playing Linda Noskova in the round of 16.
Belinda Bencic vs Anna Kalinskaya
Seeded No. 12, Swiss star Belinda Bencic got decimated at the hands of Russia’s world No. 11 Anna Kalinskaya in a straight-set defeat (6-4, 6-3). Bencic’s game plan got hampered by 5 double faults and a few errors that led Kalinskaya to win in exactly one and a half hours.
Jasmine Paolini vs Elise Mertens
Local Italian favorite and No. 9-seeded Jasmine Paolini fell in Rome as Belgium’s Elise Mertens pulled off a defining 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 win to end Paolini’s title reign. Despite a strong second-set performance, Paolini was unable to secure three match points, and the 2 hours and 41 minutes matchup saw Mertens reign victorious.
Other notable upsets of the day include the following:
No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime: Defeated by Mariano Navone 7-6(4) and 7-6(5).
No. 15 Arthur Fils: (Retired) Andrea Pellegrino 4-0
No. 17 Cameron Norrie: Defeated by Thiago Agustín Tirante 6-3, 7-5
No. 24 Tomas Martin Etcheverry: Defeated by Mattia Bellucci 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
No. 26 Jakub Mensik: Defeated by Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
No. 27 Joao Fonseca: Defeated by Hamad Medjedovic 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(1)
No. 28 Corentin Moutet: Defeated by Pablo Llamus Ruiz 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4)
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