The ATP Masters 1000 Rome first round on May 6 features several evenly balanced matchups with potential value on players carrying stronger clay-court upside. Zhizhen Zhang could be worth backing against Daniel Altmaier given his past success in Italian Open, while Alexandre Muller looks capable of keeping things tight against Botic van de Zandschulp. Meanwhile, qualifier Dino Prizmic arrives with momentum and looks well positioned to take advantage of Marton Fucsovics.
ATP Masters 1000 Rome 1/64-Finals
Zhang – Altmaier: 06.05.2026 11:00 CEST
H2H: 1-0
Zhizhen Zhang has lost four of his last five matches. Last week in Madrid, Zhang lost to Kopriva in the opening round in straight sets. He was a quarterfinalist here in 2024, when he fell short to Tabilo.
Daniel Altmaier has lost four of his last five matches. Last week in Madrid, the German lost to J.M. Cerundolo in the opening round in straight sets. Last season in Rome, Altmaier lost to Comesana in the opening round in straight sets.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Zhang is the slight underdog in this matchup, but we disagree. He was the quarterfinalist here in his last appearance, has defeated Altmaier on clay in their only head-to-head meetings.
That being said, Zhang winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Zhizhen Zhang winning @2.30 @bet365
Muller – van de Zandschulp: 06.05.2026 12:30 CEST
H2H: 1-0
Alexandre Muller has lost four of his last five matches. Last week in Aix en Provence, the Frenchman lost to Wu in the opening round of the Challenger tournament. Last season in Rome, Muller lost to Tsitsipas in the second round in straight sets.
Botic van de Zandschulp has won three of his last five matches. The last match he played was in Munich, where he lost to Cerundolo in the second round in straight sets. He has never made it past the second round in Rome.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Muller is the slight underdog in this matchup, but we disagree. He is a solid clay-court player, and with both players being out of form, we expect a close match that could go either way.
That being said, Muller covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Alexandre Muller +1.5 games handicap @1.83 @bet365
Fucsovics – Prizmic: 06.05.2026 17:00 CEST
H2H: first meeting
Marton Fucsovics has lost four of his last five matches. Last week in Madrid, Fucsovics lost to Carreno-Busta in the opening round in three sets. Last season in Rome, the Hungarian lost in the qualifying tournament.
Dino Prizmic has won four of his last five matches. This week in Rome, Prizmic qualified for the main draw tournament, winning both matches in straight sets. In the final qualifying round, the Croat defeated Bondioli in straight sets.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Prizmic is the favourite in this matchup, and we agree. He is one of the best upcoming clay-court players on tour. He played well last week in Madrid and carried that form into this week in Rome. We expect him to dominate in this match, especially on his serve.
That being said, Prizmic covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Dino Prizmic -3.5 games handicap @1.83 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
