Only 16 men remain at the ATP Rome as the fight for quarterfinal spots is up for grabs. Top seed Jannik Sinner will be among those contending for a place in the last eight when he faces his first Top 20 opponent since his return. Who will advance?
ATP Rome Day 7 Predictions
Alex de Minaur vs Tommy Paul
Head-to-head: De Minaur 5-0 Paul
Paul dropped a set but held off Tomas Machac in the last round in an impressive victory. He reached the semifinals while competing in Rome 12 months ago. A repeat result looks unlikely this week. De Minaur owns this matchup and defeated the American in straight sets when they met in this tournament in 2022. Paul has the offensive upside, but De Minaur is smart and comfortable handling the pace in slower conditions. Ultimately, this will come down to the player who handles the longer and brutal patterns of play, and for that, I’ll give De Minaur a slight edge.
Prediction: De Minaur in 3
Jakub Mensik vs Hubert Hurkacz
Head-to-head: Hurkacz 1-0 Mensik
Hurkacz was not projected to reach the second week given his injury troubles and lack of form. But the draw opened up nicely for him following Taylor Fritz’s shock exit. Hurkacz took care of Fritz’s conqueror, Marcos Giron, in a seesaw match in the previous round. For his part, Mensik knocked out Fabian Marozsan for his fifth win in seven matches on clay. While the serve should dominate proceedings, Mensik looks composed and more at ease with the rhythm of the red dirt.
Prediction: Mensik in 2
Casper Ruud vs Jaume Munar
Head-to-head: Ruud 5-1 Munar
This match will test Ruud’s patience. It was similar when he played Munar on hard courts this season. The Spaniard stretched him to five sets at the Australian Open and served for the match in their last outing in Dallas. The Norwegian is riding high from his maiden Masters success in Madrid, but he’ll need another back-breaking performance to keep Munar at bay.
Prediction: Ruud in 3
Jannik Sinner vs Francisco Cerundolo
Head-to-head: Sinner 2-2 Cerundolo
This is expected to be the first test of Sinner’s campaign in Rome. The wait for a home champion in this event has now clocked 49 years, and Italian fans were fearful that Sinner’s momentum would be halted by his three-month doping ban. He’s looked solid and convincing in the two matches he’s played. But Cerundolo is the first top-20 player he will face in his comeback. The Argentine won their last meeting in this tournament two years ago when Sinner’s journey to the top of men’s tennis was slowly gathering pace. While the natural inclination is to lean for a Sinner win on home soil, it wouldn’t shock anyone if Cerundolo weathers the storm and authors an upset.
Prediction: Sinner in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – USA TODAY Sports
