Old Dogs Djokovic, Nadal Lead Rome Masters Draw; No Sinner, No Alcaraz

The men’s event at the Rome Masters gets underway Wednesday in Italy and leading the way will be tennis legends Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

The two have combined for 16 titles between them in Rome with Nadal taking 10 and Djokovic winning six.

With Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both having withdrawn from the event, Djokovic is the clear favorite to win another Rome title and then it drops off to Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud. Defending champion Daniil Medvedev is a question mark with a groin.

The Rome event has been thought of as the closest to Roland Garros in terms of the clay and the altitude, so there is a greater correlation between results in Italy and Roland Garros.

Of the Top 40 in the world, only three are missing: Sinner, Alcaraz and Jiri Lehecka.

Top seeds are: 1 Novak Djokovic, 2 Daniil Medvedev, 3 Alexander Zverev, 4 Andrey Rublev, 5 Casper Ruud, 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas, 7 Hubert Hurkacz, 8 Grigor Dimitrov, 9 Alex De Minaur, 10 Holger Rune, 11 Taylor Fritz, 12 Ben Shelton, 13 Ugo Humbert, 14 Tommy Paul, 15 Alexander Bublik and 16 Karen Khachanov.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC QUARTER
Seeds: 1 Djokovic, 5 Ruud, 12 Shelton, 16 Khachanov, 19 Mannarino, 20 Cerundolo, 29 Tabilo, 32 Thompson
Floaters: Kecmanovic, Hanfmann, Zhang, Safiullin, Nakashima, Moutet, Marozsan, Shevchenko, ensik, Monfils, Michelson
Notable openers: Miomir Kecmanovic-Brandon Nakashima
Projected 3R matches: 1 Djokovic – 29 Tabilo, 20 Cerundolo – 16 Khachanov, 12 Shelton – 19 Mannarino, 32 Thompson – 5 Ruud
Notes: After missing Madrid, Novak Djokovic was blessed with a great draw with no one of danger under the quarterfinals. Then he could see Ben Shelton or likely Casper Ruud. Ruud could face Kecmanovic in his first match, then possibly Gael Monfils or Thiago Monteiro. Shelton could face young countryman Alex Michelson.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV QUARTER
Seeds: 3 Zverev, 8 Dimitrov, 11 Fritz, 15 Bublik, 23 Griekspoor, 24 Korda, 26 Musetti, 28 Navone
Floaters: Shapovalov, Evans, Eubanks, Nishioka, Ofner, Schwartzman, Fognini, Darderi
Notable openers: Diego Schwartzman-Aleksandar Vukic, Yoshihito Nishioka-Sebastian Ofner
Projected 3R matches: 3 Zverev – 28 Navone, 23 Griekspoor – 15 Bublik, 11 Fritz – 24 Korda, 26 Musetti – 8 Dimitrov
Notes: An open quarter features Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, Taylor Fritz, Sebastian Korda and Lorenzo Musetti all in the hunt. Zverev is likely the slight favorite with a good draw to the quarters. The bottom 16th looks to be a dogfight with Dimitrov, Musetti, Fritz and Korda. Take your pick, there.

ANDREY RUBLEV QUARTER
Seeds: 4 Rublev, 6 Tsitsipas, 9 De Minaur, 13 Humbert, 18 Auger Aliassime, 21 Jarry, 27 Norrie, 31 Fils
Floaters: Struff, Berrettini, Van De Zandschulp, Cachin, Giron, Fucsovics, Ruusuvuori, Arnaldi
Notable openers: Jan Lennard Struff-Pedro Cachin, Emil Ruusuvuori-Marcos Giron
Projected 3R matches: 6 Tsitsipas – 27 Norrie, 18 Auger Aliassime – 9 De Minaur, 13 Humbert – 21 Jarry, 31 Fils – 4 Rublev
Notes: Tough quarter of the draw with Madrid winner Andrey Rublev, former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas plus Alex de Minaur, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Nicolas Jarry and floaters like Struff, Berrettini and Arnaldi. Rublev does have a nice path with Jarry in the fourth round.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV QUARTER
Seeds: 2, Medvedev, 7 Hurkacz, 10 Rune, 14 Paul, 17 Baez, 22 Tiafoe, 25 Etcheverry, 30 Davidovich Fokina
Floaters: Coric, Sonego, Mcdonald, Altmaier, Karatsev, Seyboth Wild, Nardi, Draper, Nadal, Bergs
Notable openers: Zizou Bergs-Rafael Nadal, Dusan Lajovic-Lorenzo Sonego, Mackenzie Mcdonald-Aslan Karatsev
Projected 3R matches: 7 Hurkacz – 25 Etcheverry, 17 Baez – 10 Rune, 14 Paul – 22 Tiafoe, 30 Davidovich Fokina – 2 Medvedev
Notes: Open section with Daniil Medvedev nursing a groin issue and even healthy it’s a crapshoot with the man he beat last year, Holger Rune, Tommy Paul Tomas Martin Etcheverry and of course Rafael Nadal. If Nadal was 100%, this would be an easy road with no true dangerous clay foes. But the Spaniard who turns 38 in a month will open what will likely be his final Rome Mastes against Zizou Bergs, and then he could face Hurkacz with Etcheverry in the third round. Nadal is scheduled to play on Thursday.

Former champions: Djokovic(6), Zverev, Nadal(10), Medvedev
Former finalists: Schwartzman, Tsitsipas, Rune

Last year, (3) Daniil Medvedev defeated (7) Holger Rune 7-5, 7-5 to claim his first career clay title.

LAST 10 ROME CHAMPIONS/FINALS
2023 Daniil Medvedev d Holger Rune 7-5, 7-5
2022 Novak Djokovic d Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-0, 7-6(5)
2021 Rafael Nadal d Novak Djokovic 7-5, 1-6, 6-3
2020 Novak Djokovic d Diego Schwartzman 7-5, 6-3
2019 Rafael Nadal d Novak Djokovic 6-0, 4-6, 6-1
2018 Rafael Nadal d Alexander Zverev 6-1, 1-6, 6-3
2017 Alexander Zverev d Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3
2016 Andy Murray d Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3
2015 Novak Djokovic d Roger Federer 6-4, 6-3
2014 Novak Djokovic d Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

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