Qualifiers Pablo Carreno Busta and Jake Fearnley will get right back in action for their first-round matches on Wednesday in Rome. Carreno Busta meets Alejandro Tabilo; Fearnley faces Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
(Q) Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Alejandro Tabilo
Both Tabilo and Carreno Busta have been busy heading into first-round competition at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Wednesday. Tabilo is coming off a Challenger title in Aix-en-Provence, where he outlasted Ethan Quinn in a third-set tiebreaker on Saturday before beating Zizou Bergs in the final. Carreno Busta played in Rome qualifying, although he will be well rested after easing past Martin Damm 6-3, 6-3 and getting a walkover from Stan Wawrinka.
This marks their third encounter, with Carreno Busta sweeping the head-to-head series 2-0. The 34-year-old Spaniard prevailed 6-4, 7-6(4) at the 2022 ATP Cup and 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(3) at the 2025 Olbia Challenger. Carreno Busta may be past his prime at No. 91 in the world, but he advanced one round in Madrid and should take additional confidence from his recent rout of Damm. He may be able to take advantage of an opponent who has to be feeling some mental and physical fatigue.
Pick: Carreno Busta over Tabilo in 3
(Q) Jake Fearnley vs. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Fearnley has fallen off a cliff to No. 123 in the world following a hot start to his professional career, so he obviously had to qualify in Rome. The 24-year-old successfully did so with victories over Shintaro Mochizuki and Aleksandar Kovacevic. Fearnley now has a chance to win his second main-draw match at an ATP tournament in 2026 (previously defeated Damir Dzumhur in Indian Wells).
Up next for the former TCU standout is a first-ever showdown with Mpetshi Perricard, who has also been riding the struggle bus. The 6’7” Frenchman has not yet played on this clay-court swing and has not won a match since the Dubai first round in mid-February. Although Mpetshi Perricard has actually captured a clay-court title (Lyon in 2024), this is without question his least favorite surface. Look for Fearnley to capitalize at the expense of a vulnerable opponent.
Pick: Fearnley in 2
WWW?
Tabilo in 2, 6-1 7-6(5)
Fearnley in 2 7-6(5), 7-5
PCB in 2/3 tabilo final hangover
JF in 3
yep
Nope, it was Tabilo in 2 just like I said.