Rome SF previews and predictions: Zverev vs. Tsitsipas, Djokovic vs. Ruud

Four of the top five seeds have advanced to the Rome semifinals, including five-time champion Novak Djokovic. The world No. 1 is going up against Casper Ruud, while familiar foes Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas are renewing their rivalry.

(4) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. (2) Alexander Zverev

Zverev and Tsitsipas will be squaring off in a third consecutive Masters 1000 event–all in the semifinals–when they meet again at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Saturday. Tsitsipas prevailed 6-4, 6-2 in Monte-Carlo before Zverev got revenge with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory in Madrid. This marks their fifth consecutive encounter in the semifinals of a tournament; they also faced each other at the same stage twice last year–in the French Open (Tsitsipas won in five sets) and in Cincinnati (Zverev won in a third-set tiebreaker). Overall the head-to-head series stands at 7-4 in favor of the Greek.

Although Zverev is a former Rome champion (2017), conditions are not as ideal for him as they are in Madrid–which he has won twice. A more classic clay-court matchup should favor Tsitsipas, just as it did in Monte-Carlo. The 2021 Roland-Garros runner-up is 13-2 on the red stuff this year following Rome wins over Grigor Dimitrov (saved two match points), Karen Khachanov, and Jannik Sinner. This should be much more competitive than their Monte-Carlo match, but the edge goes to Tsitsipas.

Pick: Tsitsipas in 3

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (5) Casper Ruud

Djokovic appears to be heating up just in time for Roland Garros. The top-ranked Serb still has not captured a title during his abbreviated 2022 campaign, but it looks like this could be the week. He has bounced back nicely from a Madrid semifinal loss to Carlos Alcaraz with Rome victories over Aslan Karatsev, Stan Wawrinka, and Felix Auger-Aliassime. All three results were straight-setters, although Djokovic’s 7-5, 7-6(1) defeat of Auger-Aliassime on Friday featured extremely high-quality tennis.

Up next for Djokovic on Saturday is a third career meeting with Ruud, who is 0-2 overall and 0-4 in total sets (7-5, 6-3 in the 2020 Rome semis and 7-6(4), 6-2 at the Nitto ATP Finals last fall). The 10th-ranked Norwegian is aiming for his second Masters 1000 final appearance of 2022 (Miami, lost to Alcaraz) and so far in Rome he has ousted Botic van de Zandschulp, Jenson Brooksby, and Denis Shapovalov. Ruud is playing decent tennis this week, but his clay-court swing has been underwhelming as a whole and he is probably running into Djokovic at least one week to late.

Pick: Djokovic in 2