The wide open third quarter of the draw at the Rome Masters features Russians Daniil Medvedev and Aslan Karatsev squaring off for a spot in the third round. In the same section, Felix Auger-Aliassime takes on Diego Schwartzman.
(3) Daniil Medvedev vs. Aslan Karatsev
Don’t let the rankings fool you. World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev is not the favorite over 27th-ranked compatriot Aslan Karatsev. That’s because Medvedev has a surface issue on clay–as in, he has been known to be perfectly capable of navigating the entire European clay swing without winning a single match. He’s still waiting for his first match win at Roland Garros, where he boasts a lifetime match record of 0-4.
Karatsev has had one good tournament on the dirt in 2021. The Russian dispatched Novak Djokovic in a fierce semifinal battle in Belgrade only to go down to Matteo Berrettini in the final. He also won a couple of matches in Madrid last week.
Until Medvedev makes his peace with the terre battue, it’s hard to pick him in a clay-court match against a player enjoying any kind of good form. It’s not that it’s impossible for him to win–he made finals in both Monte Carlo and Barcelona in 2019–it’s just that he usually doesn’t.
Cheryl pick: Karatsev in 3
Ricky pick: Karatsev in 2
(8) Diego Schwartzman vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime
Diego Schwartzman isn’t having a good 2021. The popular Argentine has one tournament title–at home in Buenos Aires–but otherwise he’s come up short. Although he made the quarterfinals in Barcelona a couple of weeks ago, he followed that run up with a second round ouster in Madrid at the hands of Karatsev.
If there is a bright spot for Schwartzman, it’s that his second-round opponent this week is Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian is similarly limping along through the spring clay-court swing, except he doesn’t have a title in 2021 (or ever, for that matter) to show for his efforts. He took out Filip Krajinovic in the first round in a tricky three-set match on Sunday.
Of the two, Schwartzman may be playing a tick better. He was upended in his first match in Madrid, but he at least he took a set from Karatsev. Auger-Aliassime lost in the first round last week, shellacked by Casper Ruud.
Cheryl pick: Schwartzman in 3
Ricky pick: Auger-Aliassime in 3
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