L’scoreboard analysis of theATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 in Rome was the main course of classic weekly appointment on the OA Sport YouTube channel with TennisManiain which Dario PuppoEurosport journalist, spoke about the possible path of the blue to Italian internationals.
The blues with the greater chances of getting ahead: “I’m very interested in the segment of the scoreboard where both Cobolli and Fognini are concentrated, and also Musetti himself, that is, the lower part of the upper part, the lowest segment of the upper part where Djokovic is. Dimitrov is certainly the favorite in that segment, because I believe that Fritz, coming from two tournaments in which he expressed himself well, should have had a third, hats off to Fritz, but I remember that he reached the final in Munich, in conditions really difficult even in the cold, then he made the semi-final in Madrid anyway, if I’m not mistaken it was with Rublev, and he’s seeded number 11. It’s a segment where there’s also Sebastian Korda, who has just won the doubles title in Madrid with Thompson. I don’t know who Cobolli’s opponent from the qualifiers is at the moment I’m speaking to you, but I’ll tell you that in my opinion Cobolli can compete with Korda. The concept I would like to express is that in this segment of the scoreboard these three Italians can lend a hand to each other: Fognini has Evans and plays tomorrow at 7pm, to possibly go and get Fritz. In my opinion, a player like Fognini, if he were to pass the turn with Evans, could annoy Fritz“.
The others Italians with good opportunities: “Musetti has the bye and possibly faces Eubanks or a qualifier, in my opinion Eubanks on clay is not the same player as he is on fast, and therefore I imagine that Musetti could get to the challenge with Dimitrov, which would really be a mathematical evening session, it would be very interesting , and therefore at the limit there would be Musetti who can play it, I say, with Dimitrov, possibly a second round Cobolli-Korda and then go and play, whoever wins that match, perhaps Fognini-Fritz. In short, it seems to me like a good presence of Italian players, and from here I see the possibility of reaching a round of 16 but perhaps even a quarter-final. So what I also said today in a radio link, but this is not the only situation that I see as interesting regarding the Italian players“.
More blues they will struggle more: “Looking at the part of the scoreboard presided over by Djokovic, there is the wild card derby between Zeppieri and Gigante, but from here I don’t see the possibility of going further with Cerundolo. If the best Zeppieri were there, I would say that the match could be interesting, but Francisco Cerundolo is playing really well, he played well in Madrid. Then in this area of the scoreboard there are no other Italians, apart from Passaro, who clearly needs to know where he will be inserted as qualified. Below we have another derby, the one between Napolitano and Berrettini. Berrettini entered the draw and left the wild card, which was then given to Napolitano and they find themselves in the derby to face Humbert. Yesterday Berrettini essentially made it clear that if it hadn’t been Roma he probably wouldn’t have taken the risk of playing and therefore I don’t expect to see him even surpass Humbert if there is a victory with Napolitano. Napolitano is a player who truly expresses good tennis, so let’s see. Just below there is also Arnaldi who challenges Machac. Machac is a player who is capable of causing annoyance, it seems to me that there has already been a challenge between them, I didn’t go to check, but I seem to remember this thing and you know how I, in short, appreciate Machac. The winner will go with Jarry“.
The role it can play the public at the Foro Italico: “I hope that the public in Rome, who were brought into play because clearly some of them did not take Sinner’s absence well, and several are trying to sell tickets, but I hope and think that as often happens, the public can be a really important factor for these Italian players and I hope it will be for Arnaldi too, in a segment of the scoreboard where Jarry, Humbert and Berrettini could happen to him. I hope that Berrettini, despite the declarations, can lend a hand to Arnaldi and vice versa. This is a bit of the concept: I hope that something interesting can come out of this segment of the board too, let’s see if it could possibly be like this“.
Fewer possibilities for other Italians: “Then, continuing to analyze, further down there is Sonego, who faces Lajovic. We all remember Lajovic as a finalist in Monte Carlo against Fognini in 2019, when that first historic Masters 1000 was won by Fabio Fognini, and he is in an area of the scoreboard where Baez is in any case and Rune is below in that segment of the scoreboard. Clearly it’s tough for Sonego. I don’t know, there could have been even worse draws in the first round for sure, given that he isn’t seeded, but there’s also Rune there who isn’t playing in such a fabulous way, but I see less of that glimmer of hope I was telling you about for the draw with Cobolli, Musetti and Fognini and also possibly Arnaldi and Berrettini, but I really hope that instead he galvanizes himself, Sonego all in all is someone who if he really gets excited, finds his best tennis, can also possibly annoy Rune, and I believe but he too is realizing that it’s a good possibility. I remember that Nadal is also in that area of the scoreboard“.
They will also be important game orders: “There is Koepfer-Vavassori, I remember commenting on Koepfer when he lost to Federer, which was his last match on clay and at Roland Garros, and I also remember Koepfer doing well anyway, here coming from the qualifiers he is a player, especially in the evening, which can be annoying and I think it’s hard for Vavassori. After that, however, if he were to pass there’s Tiafoe, so it’s complicated for him too, I think. Nardi is there with Altmaier, let’s see how he is, possibly if he wins then he has Rune. However, in my opinion, until the middle of next week, there is the possibility of matches with the Italians to be seen on TV in the evening too. The concept that I had explained that Sinner would never have been put in an evening session is reversed, now obviously I would like to see these other players in the evening most of the time, because I believe it is also logical for state TV, even for Sky itself and also for the spectators, so I hope we will see some exciting matches with the public getting involved“.
The possible path of Danish Holger Rune: “Rune is possibly Hurkacz, Nadal is there too. Well, a Rune-Nadal match would be nice, obviously, which would be played at the round of 16 level. It’s not trivial, but it’s the part of the scoreboard where Medvedev could give up, assuming that could be the case“.
A possible solution to avoid all these injuries: “I think the change with the more extended combined is interesting, but there are some side effects that have probably not been considered, and this is why I hypothesized not to go back completely, but perhaps to leave Roma combined and don’t combine Madrid, but there can certainly be other solutions. Another could be to give more margin of choice, to not do all the 1000 tournaments, perhaps skipping another one beyond Monte Carlo, that is, making fewer of them compulsory. That’s another possibility, maybe“.
The hard journey that awaits Darderi: “Darderi has the first match with Shapovalov, then goes with Navone, and then possibly Zverev. It’s perhaps the worst draw for the Italians, honestly. Zverev, we know that he can still go a long way and there are many Italians in this part of the scoreboard, in this segment between Zverev number 3, Dimitrov number 8. I’m looking there with confidence, further down than perhaps where Darderi is, I’m sincere, but Darderi is the one who shows he is growing the most and perhaps also on the ball, especially on the surface“.
L’analysis of the women’s draw: “Paolini is in the lower half, guarded by Sakkari, but she too clearly has a good seed, number 11: she clearly misses the first round, then faces the winner of Martic-Sherif, which could be a danger. And after that there could be more Azarenka than the others, the winner of Zhu Lin or Linette. Paolini I think that this part of the scoreboard can be overcome. After that there is Sakkari possibly, or Kalinina, maybe even Tsurenko, I don’t know. As you said today too, you feel like you can compete with everyone, so the possibility of even reaching a quarter-final could be there. In that area of the scoreboard there is Rybakina, who has given her the path on more than one occasion this season, even on the most important occasion, when she won the 1000, and we need to see how she is doing too, because Rybakina anyway it comes from a fairly demanding tournament, it’s one that is unlikely to be constant in many similar tournaments, we should analyze it carefully, but this is my feeling, let’s see. In that area there, where Collins is, where Garcia is, Cocciaretto is also there, but I wouldn’t spend too much time analyzing the other matches, because they aren’t easy for the Italians. Bronzetti has Kenin and then possibly Jabeur, the girls’ draw doesn’t seem fantastic to me, Errani has Anisimova in the first round and then possibly Svitolina, in short it’s a bit tough for the Italian girls“.
