Jannik Sinner’s return on Day 4 of the ATP Italian Open in Rome might have overshadowed other matches, but there are still many fascinating second-round matches on the slate. This article features recently crowned Madrid Masters champion Casper Ruud, who will take on Alexander Bublik. As always, we at LWOT will offer predictions for every match on the slate. But who will advance?
ATP Rome Day 4 Predictions
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Thiago Seyboth Wild
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Felix Auger-Aliassime started the season in red-hot form, but his struggles since March have been worrying. He is on a five-match losing streak, and four of them have come against players ranked well outside the top 50. He has won just one match in Rome since 2022 and will face a tough opponent in the form of Thiago Seyboth Wild, who is a capable player on clay and is coming off a solid win against Nuno Borges in the first round. I believe the Canadian will find his mojo once again, but this might not be the match.
Prediction: Seyboth Wild in 3
Jakub Mensik vs Matteo Gigante
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Jakub Mensik is in the form of his life and will look to make a mark at the Italian capital. He has never won a match here and will not have the crowd’s support in his first encounter against local talent Matteo Gigante, who won a close match against Arthur Rinderknech in the first round. The Italian has an impressive game on clay, but Mensik is just the better player currently and has more weapons.
Prediction: Mensik in 2
Alex de Minaur vs Luca Nardi
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Italian wild card Luca Nardi played one of his best matches in a long time to upset his older compatriot Flavio Cobolli in straight sets. This was Nardi’s third win in a row over Cobolli, who is much higher ranked. This win should give some much-needed confidence to Nardi. However, he will have to bring his A game again to challenge Alex de Minaur, who will track down every ball and return it with interest. De Minaur’s game style will force Nardi into hitting errors, which has been a problem for him.
Prediction: De Minaur in 3
Casper Ruud vs Alexander Bublik
Head-to-Head: Ruud 6-1 Bublik
Casper Ruud won the biggest title of his career last week in Madrid and will look to continue the momentum on his preferred surface. The slowness of the courts in Madrid will suit Ruud’s game even more. Ruud has a strong track record here, reaching three semifinals in five appearances. His record against his second-round opponent is even more impressive. Alexander Bublik has won just one match against Ruud. It’s never easy to play a match after winning a big title, but Ruud should be focused enough to see this through.
Prediction: Ruud in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
