Jannik Sinner, the current world number one and a four-time Grand Slam champion, has officially kicked off his campaign at the Rome Masters by holding his first practice session at the Foro Italico. The Italian star is looking to make a deep run in front of his home crowd at this prestigious ATP Masters 1000 event.
Sinner's journey in the tournament will commence from the second round, where he is set to face the winner of the first-round match between Austrian player Sebastian Ofner and American Alex Michelsen. This gives him a slight advantage as he avoids an early-round battle.
The tournament holds significant memories for Sinner, particularly from last year's edition. He reached the final but ultimately fell short, losing to Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz in a hard-fought match. The scoreline read 6:7 (5:7), 1:6 in favor of Alcaraz, denying Sinner the title on home soil.
A major storyline heading into this year's Rome Masters is the absence of that very rival, Carlos Alcaraz. The Spanish star, who is also a multiple Grand Slam winner, has withdrawn from the tournament due to a hand injury. This injury has forced him to miss several key events on the tennis calendar.
Alcaraz's withdrawal from Rome is part of a broader period of recovery. He was previously forced to pull out of the Madrid Masters, another major clay-court event. Furthermore, his injury has also ruled him out of participating in the upcoming French Open at Roland Garros in 2026, a significant blow to the draw.
With Alcaraz sidelined, the path to the title in Rome could be viewed as slightly more open for Sinner and the other top contenders. However, the field remains packed with talent, and Sinner will need to be at his best to capture the championship.
All eyes will be on Sinner as he transitions from practice to competitive play. His performance in Rome will be a key indicator of his form heading into the rest of the clay-court season and the summer Grand Slam events.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.