Time for the fourth round on Day 7 of the 2023 ATP Italian Open in Rome. Top-seeded Novak Djokovic hasn’t exactly been cruising so far and he’ll be hoping for a bit more comfort in his match against Cameron Norrie. Can the Brit cause him any trouble?
ATP Rome Day 7 Predictions
Casper Ruud vs Laslo Djere
Head-to-head: Djere 2-0
Pretty surprising head-to-head with one of these matches taking place this year. That was a pretty unique scenario though with plenty of rain in Auckland forcing Casper Ruud and Laslo Djere to play indoors. Needless to say, Casper Ruud is not at the top of his abilities this year. He is vulnerable and looking for an event that could make him get back on track. It’s still to early to say if Rome will provide him with that. This is a good test with his previous two opponents playing a completely different brand of tennis compared to Djere.
Prediction: Ruud in 3
Andrey Rublev vs Yannick Hanfmann
Head-to-head: Rublev 1-0
It’s been a stellar 2023 campaign for Yannick Hanfmann so far with plenty of qualifying success and deep runs at many ATP Tour events. While his run in Madrid didn’t really surprise anyone due to his love for altitude conditions, Rome is another cup of tea. And yet the German has barely put a foot wrong all week. Andrey Rublev might be a step too far, but with this incredible kick serve, Hanfmann has every tool required to at least make him work for the win.
Prediction: Rublev in 3
Borna Coric vs Fabian Marozsan
Head-to-head: First meeting
Fabian Marozsan played an absolutely perfect match to dispatch Carlos Alcaraz on Monday. The Hungarian plays hyper-aggressive tennis and almost always looks to end the point in about five shots or less. It’s an inconsistent strategy, which explains how he hasn’t made a top-100 debut just yet, despite two Challenger titles since August last year. His absolute peak level is definitely good enough to hang with Borna Coric, but repeating such an emotional high against an ultra-solid opponent is going to be tough.
Prediction: Coric in 3
Novak Djokovic vs Cameron Norrie
Head-to-head: Djokovic 2-0
Novak Djokovic hasn’t been at his brilliant best in Rome so far, but at this stage, it’s just all about getting the necessary match practice for the Serbian. This seems to be a perfect opportunity for him to do just that. Cameron Norrie led Djokovic by a set at Wimbledon last year, although it has to be said that it was mostly on the 22-time Grand Slam champion. Once he cleaned up his act, the match was over very quickly. It’s not a great matchup for Norrie, he doesn’t have much to hurt Djokovic with.
Prediction: Djokovic in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
