Top five title favourites in men's singles at Italian Open 2024

Published at :May 9, 2024 at 12:46 AM

Modified at :May 9, 2024 at 12:46 AM

(Courtesy : @jmgmoron/X)

Novak Djokovic will eye a seventh Italian Open title.

After the conclusion of the Madrid Open, it’s time to shift our attention to the next clay court event: the Rome Masters 2024, also known as the Italian Open 2024. In the coming days, we’re anticipating some tightly-contested matches.

Established in 1930, this tournament is part of the ATP 1000 Masters series and takes place at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy. Daniil Medvedev secured the men’s singles title in the last edition, while Elena Rybakina claimed the women’s singles crown. In the doubles division, Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski emerged victorious in the men’s category, and Storm Sanders (not Hunter) alongside Elise Mertens took the women’s doubles title.

In this article, we will examine the top five men’s singles contenders at the current Rome Masters edition who are poised to vie for the title:

5. Stefanos Tsitsipas

The semi-finalist from the previous edition, Stefanos Tsitsipas is a strong contender to hold the title at the 2024 Rome Masters. Although his last appearance on the clay court couldn’t bear him the expected result as he had to exit from the second round at the Madrid Open, he has won the Monte-Carlo Masters this year.

His best performance at the Rome Masters has been a runner-up finish in 2022 where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic 6-0, 7-6. Moreover, he has had two semi-final finishes, one in 2019 and the other in 2023.

4. Alexander Zverev

After missing out on a berth in the final over the past few years, Alexander Zverev is aiming for a better outcome at the current tournament. Interestingly, he clinched the Rome Masters title once before, in 2017. However, his performance has been inconsistent this year. His best showing at the ATP Masters 1000 events was a quarterfinal exit at the Indian Wells Open.

At the previous edition, he was eliminated in the fourth round. Additionally, he secured the runner-up spot in 2018 and reached the semi-finals in 2022

3. Andrey Rublev

Riding the momentum from his Madrid Open 2024 victory, Andrey Rublev will step onto the Italian courts with a surge of confidence. In Madrid, he triumphed over Felix Auger-Aliassime in a challenging match, with set scores of 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.

As for the Rome Masters, Rublev has yet to hit his stride on these courts. His most notable performance to-date was reaching the quarter-finals in 2021. Nevertheless, it’s his recent form that fuels his pursuit of the title at this year’s tournament.

2. Daniil Medvedev

The reigning Rome Masters champion, Daniil Medvedev, is a formidable contender for the 2024 title. Although Medvedev has not secured any ATP 1000 Masters titles this year, his performances have been consistently competitive.

In 2024, he achieved the runner-up position at the Indian Wells Open and reached the semi-finals at the Miami Open. Following a quarter-final finish at the Madrid Open, Medvedev is determined to make an impact and successfully defend his title at the Rome Masters.

1. Novak Djokovic

After concluding his Monte-Carlo Masters campaign in the semi-finals, the World No. 1 in the ATP men’s singles will make his return at the Rome Masters. With six titles already at this event, Novak Djokovic poses a significant challenge to his rivals, who are eager to compete against the Serbian star.

Additionally, Djokovic has claimed the runner-up spot six times throughout his career, along with four quarter-final appearances and one semi-final finish. If he hits his stride in the tournament, it will be a formidable task for his competitors to prevent him from securing his seventh title.

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