Novak Djokovic is back on the court after skipping Madrid with an injury. He will take on Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Rome Masters on Friday, while Holger Rune will also be in action against Arthur Fils.
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry
This is a tricky first match back for top seed Novak Djokovic. The Serb sustained an elbow injury in Banja Luka and missed the Madrid Masters completely. In a pre-tournament statement this week, Djokovic said of his injury, “I feel good. I miss competition. I love playing in Rome.” Healthy or not, however, the world No. 1 hasn’t had a spectacular start to the clay-court season. He lost in the round of 16 in Monte-Carlo and bowed out early in Banja Luka to eventual champion Dusan Lajovic.
Tomas Martin Etcheverry, ranked 61st in the world, is just the kind of player you don’t want to meet early at an event. The Argentine made the final in Houston, and while he hasn’t made much noise on European clay yet, he’s clearly capable of hitting a hot streak.
Djokovic has traditionally played well in Rome. The Serb has won the Rome Masters six times. While this match may be more competitive than the rankings suggest, expect Djokovic to come through.
Cheryl pick: Djokovic in 2
Ricky pick: Djokovic in 2
(7) Holger Rune vs. (Q) Arthur Fils
Denmark’s Holger Rune has had a great spring clay season so far. The world No. 7 made the final in Monte-Carlo and won the title in Munich. He endured a heartbreaker of a three-set loss at the hands of Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round of the Madrid Masters, but that just means he comes into Rome with more rest.
Arthur Fils of France still splits his time between the main tour and the Challenger circuit. The world No. 119 is capable of playing lights-out tennis, however. He came out of nowhere to make the semifinals in Marseille (beating Jannik Sinner along the way). His results haven’t been as promising on clay; Rome marks the first time in 2023 he was able to advance out of qualifying on this surface.
This will be the first match between Rune and Fils. While Fils is capable of hot streaks, it’s unlikely to happen on clay at this point in his young career. The 19 year-old is still finding his legs on the dirt.
Cheryl pick: Rune in 2
Ricky pick: Rune in 2
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