Today, we’ll cover five matches from the Italian Open and share our top tennis picks and best bets. Our coverage features two women’s quarterfinals and three men’s round-of-16 matches. Coco Gauff continues her exciting run in Rome as she faces an in-form Mirra Andreeva on center court.
Casper Ruud and Lorenzo Musetti will also compete in a highly anticipated clash for a spot in the quarterfinals during the morning session. Additionally, we’ll cover the round of 16 match between Alexander Zverev and Luciano Darderi, the match between Learner Tien and Rafael Jodar, and the quarterfinal match between Sorana Cirstea and Jelena Ostapenko.
Top Tennis Picks and Best Bets of the Day
Lorenzo Musetti vs. Casper Ruud: Ruud in Three Sets
Musetti and Ruud will face each other for only the fourth time on tour and the third time on clay, with the Norwegian leading the head-to-head 2-1. It will also be their second meeting at the Rome Masters, with the previous coming in 2019, when Ruud won in straight sets.
This is expected to be a closely fought battle between two players with decent clay-court records this season, Musetti (6-3) and Ruud (7-2). Both players are yet to drop a set in Rome, but we are ultimately leaning toward the Norwegian to edge out the homeboy in three sets and advance to the quarterfinals.
Sorana Cirstea vs. Jelena Ostapenko: Ostapenko in Two Sets
Ostapenko and Cirstea will compete for the eighth time on tour and the second time on clay. The Latvian player leads their head-to-head series 4-3, including a clay-court win at the 2023 Italian Open.
Cirstea has been playing excellent tennis recently, with a 9-2 record on clay, reaching the quarterfinals in Linz and the semifinals in Rouen. Ostapenko is 6-3 on clay this season; despite some inconsistencies on tour, we favor the Latvian to perform well, starting strongly against the Romanian and winning in straight sets.
Rafael Jodar vs. Learner Tien: Jodar in Two Sets
This will be the second tour match between Rafael Jodar and Learner Tien. The young Spanish player has had a great year on clay, with a 14-2 record, including winning in Hassan, reaching the semifinals in Barcelona, and the quarterfinals in Madrid. His reliable clay play makes him a favorite. We expect Jodar to start strongly and win without losing a set.
Coco Gauff vs. Mirra Andreeva: Andreeva in Three Sets
Gauff has a 4-0 head-to-head record against Andreeva, with three of those matches on clay. Last year, the 22-year-old American defeated the Russian twice in Madrid and Rome. However, this year the outlook has shifted in Andreeva’s favor.
The teenage prodigy is 15-2 on clay this season, including a title in Linz, a semifinal in Stuttgart, and another final in Madrid. While Gauff is still adjusting to her rhythm on court, we don’t expect her to beat the Russian today. Andreeva is likely to win in three sets and reach her fourth straight semifinal on tour.
Luciano Darderi vs. Alexander Zverev: Zverev in Two Sets
Zverev and Darderi face off for the second time on tour, and their second match on clay in Rome. The German won their previous encounter in 2024 in straight sets, and we anticipate a similar result, especially considering Zverev’s strong form. He is 13-3 on clay this season and is likely to advance easily, aiming for his sixth consecutive semifinal on the ATP circuit.
Also read:
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
