Editor’s Note: Story republished with permission from the International Tennis Hall of Fame

Australian legend Owen Davidson, the most accomplished mixed doubles male player in tennis history, has passed away. Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2010, Davidson was 79 years old and had been a long-time resident of Texas at the time of his death.

To use Aussie lingo, the man nicknamed ‘Davo’ was always regarded as a ‘first-rate mate’. Davidson maintained deep friendships with many people in all corners of the globe and across decades of tennis history. His crackling humor, warmth, and knowledge made him a keen source of wisdom for everyone, from corporate executives and agents, to journalists, television commentators, and fellow legends.

Crisp volleys, a superb overhead and a wickedly accurate lefty spin serve were Davidson’s trademark shots. In a career that lasted from the early 1960s into the mid-‘70s, Davidson won 13 Grand Slam titles—11 of them in mixed doubles and two in men’s doubles.

In 1967, Davidson became only the third player in tennis history to earn all four major mixed doubles titles in the same year. It started in Adelaide where Davidson and compatriot Lesley Turner won their homeland major. The next three were earned with Davidson’s most frequent partner, Billie Jean King.

All told, the King-Davidson duo won eight majors (one Roland Garros, four Wimbledon, three US Open). Arguably, the greatest King-Davidson effort came in the 1971 Wimbledon finals when they beat the formidable team of Margaret Court and Marty Riessen in an epic, 3-6, 6-2, 15-13.

“We’d been out there a long time and at 13-all, I said to him, ‘Owen, let’s get out of here.’ And so we did. He was just terrific,” King said.

Davidson also won the 1966 U.S. Nationals mixed doubles alongside Donna Floyd Fales and, in 1965, partnered with Robyn Ebbern, shared the Australian title with Court and John Newcombe (the final was not played due to inclement conditions).

As a men’s doubles player, Davidson earned two majors, winning the 1972 Australian Open with Ken Rosewall and joining forces with Newcombe to take the 1973 US Open. The latter was particularly pleasing for Davidson.

“We played Laver and Rosewall – two of our heroes – in the final,” said Davidson. “It was amazing simply to be on the court with them.”

Davidson’s finest moment as a singles player came in 1966 at Wimbledon. In the quarter-finals, Davidson upset two-time defending champion Roy Emerson. Facing reigning U.S. Nationals champion Manuel Santana in the semi-finals, Davidson fought valiantly, rallying from 1-5 down in the fifth set before losing the decider 5-7. He also reached the quarter-finals at seven other majors – five times at the Australian Championships, twice at the U.S. Nationals (precursor to the US Open).

On April 22, 1968, Davidson authored a distinct page of tennis history when he beat John Clifton in the first round of the British Hard Court Championships in Bournemouth—the first match of tennis’ Open Era.

Owen Davidson was born in Melbourne on 4 October 1943. In his formative years, Davidson was coached by another Hall of Famer, Mervyn Rose, a fellow lefthander long considered one of Australia’s premier tennis instructors. Later, as a member of the Australian Davis Cup team, Davidson worked closely with Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman.

Davidson spent the years 1967-’70 working for the British LTA. Davidson’s responsibilities there included being head pro at the All England Club, manager of British competitive tennis and coach of the British Davis Cup team.

During those years in England, Davidson wrote two books, Lawn Tennis: The Great Ones, Great Women Tennis Players and Tackle Lawn Tennis Way.

Davidson also held coaching positions at such prestigious venues as the John Newcombe Tennis Academy (near San Antonio), The Woodlands Country Club (Houston), and as COO of Grand Slam Sports Marketing, a partnership of former professional tennis players that created specialty tennis events for dozens of companies throughout the world.

– Joel Drucker is the International Tennis Hall of Fame Historian-At-Large 

Carlos Alcaraz lost the first two games of his debut at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Saturday, but he grew into the match against fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas and ultimately cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 victory in Rome.

By stepping onto the court at the Foro Italico, Alcaraz guaranteed himself a return to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on 22 May, following the ATP Masters 1000 event. But the 20-year-old showed his hunger for a third straight ATP Tour title, following his triumphs in Barcelona and Madrid, by extending his winning streak against Spanish opposition to nine matches.

With his 12th straight victory overall, Alcaraz improved to 30-2 this season, including a perfect 14-0 mark against players outside the Top 50.

“It wasn’t easy. The first round of every tournament is really tough and of course Albert Ramos, especially on clay, is a really tough opponent,” Alcaraz said of his debut performance, which was delayed by rain earlier in the day. “I had to adapt my game really quickly to be able to get though. The conditions weren’t easy as well, the rain, the waiting all day. I didn’t know if I was going to play or not. But I’m really happy with my performance at the end and really happy to be able to play in the next round.”

The relentless power and depth off the 20-year-old’s racquet wore down his opponent, and a run of five straight games from 4-4 in the opening set shifted the match decisively in Alcaraz’s favour. After dropping serve in the opening game of the match, Alcaraz did not face another break point as he hit through the heavy centre-court conditions with ease, finishing with 28 winners.

Three years ago, Alcaraz earned his first ATP Tour win in a third-set tie-break against Ramos-Vinolas in Rio de Janeiro. The countrymen also squared off in Umag last season and in the Roland Garros second round last year, when Alcaraz advanced in five sets. The relatively one-sided nature of Alcaraz’s Rome victory against the 35-year-old is just the latest example of his evolution into one of the games most feared players on any surface.

Ramos-Vinolas was denied his third Top 5 win and what could have been his first such victory since beating then-World No. 1 Andy Murray at the 2017 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

A smile beams across the face of a tired but delighted Gregoire Barrere as he takes a seat at the Foro Italico on Friday night. An hour earlier, the Frenchman had earned the biggest win of his season, upsetting World No. 11 Karen Khachanov to reach the third round at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia for the first time.

Before this year, Barrere had never won a match at an ATP Masters 1000 event. He now has five victories at this level and is relishing the opportunity to compete each week on some of the biggest stages the ATP Tour has to offer.

“It’s all completely new for me and I am enjoying it every week,” Barrere told ATPTour.com. “I am discovering every tournament right now. The facilities are amazing. It’s great to win big matches and to play big players, so I’m enjoying every moment right now on Tour.

“I am surprised I won against [Khachanov] because I’m not a clay player. I’m not thinking I’m a clay player and my coach is thinking the same. But it’s a great feeling and I hope to keep going further.”

Last October, the 29-year-old returned to the Top 100 for the first time since August 2020 and has gone from strength to strength since. Barrere lifted an ATP Challenger Tour title in France at the start of the year, before he advanced to the third round in Miami. After matching that feat in Rome, the Frenchman has climbed to No. 55 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Holding a career-high ranking of No. 56, it marks another milestone moment in a career that first gathered paced 24 years ago in a town near Paris.

“My parents were playing in a club close to my home and it was a 10-minute walk to go there, so I followed my father there,” Barrere said as he recalled his first memories in the sport. “I started playing against the wall and then had a go on court and was feeling good on the court, hitting the ball as hard as I could. When you are young, you are losing whenever you do that. So I was losing, but I was enjoying the game and I started to play better and better.

“Around 15 years old, I thought I had a good chance of making it when I was winning a little bit more and had the chance to play at the Federation Centre with all the best players in France. At that time I said, ‘Okay, if I’m the best player in France for my age, maybe I can go for a career, so let’s try’”.

FOLLOW THIS WEEK’S ACTION

📺 TV Schedule
🎾 Watch Live On Tennis TV
📱 Follow Live Scores On ATP WTA Live
📧 Sign Up For Newsletters

Alongside competing, Barrere spent his teenage years watching sports. Marat Safin and countryman Paul-Henri Mathieu were the Frenchman’s tennis idols, while he enjoyed supporting French football side Paris-Saint Germain.

Today, Barrere likes sightseeing and is delighted with the new cities he has the opportunity to visit due to his lofty ranking gaining him access into the world’s biggest events.

“I am enjoying visiting cities and doing some shopping and hanging out with my friends. It is good on Tour that with the travelling you get to some really nice places,” Barrere said. “I really like London and that will be good to visit again soon.”

For now, Barrere’s focus will be in Rome, where he will next play 24th seed Francisco Cerundolo. If he overcomes the Argentine, he could meet Italian Jannik Sinner. While he is keen to not look too far ahead, the prospect of facing the home favourite is a mouth-watering one for Barrere.

“It would be amazing to play Sinner. I think on the big court, with the fans here, it would be incredible,” Barrere said. “I already played him before and we had a good match, so it would be exciting. But I have to think first about my next match and then we’ll see.”

With his feet on the floor, Barrere is humble enough not to look past the test Cerunodolo will provide. The pair will meet for the first time on Sunday in the third round at the clay-court event.

Facing a tough opponent in tricky conditions, Andrey Rublev got the job done on Saturday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

The World No. 6 prevailed 6-3, 6-4 against Alex Molcan in a second-round match featuring two rain interruptions at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Using his heavy groundstrokes to good effect on the damp clay, Rublev clinched a break of his opponent’s serve in each set to seal an 80-minute win on Court Pietrangeli.

“I’m happy that I was able to finish just before the rain,” said Rublev, speaking as the bad weather returned soon after match point. “I can rest now, and I can rest tomorrow, and I don’t need to stress waiting until the afternoon, so it’s very lucky when you are able to finish before the rain and you know that most of the players still didn’t play.”

Rublev also defeated Molcan in straight sets in the Banja Luka semi-finals three weeks ago, and the 25-year-old delivered a commanding display to secure a repeat result in the Italian capital. The only real nervous moments for Rublev came on his serve at 0-1, 15/40 in the second set, but he found a series of big deliveries to save both break points and hold.

“It was tough conditions, but I think I played well,” said Rublev, who struck 17 winners and made just three unforced errors in the match. “I really like slower courts, especially when it’s weather like this, cold and rainy. I like it even more because I have more time.”

Rublev is now 12-3 in ATP Masters 1000 events for the year, a tally which includes his first title at that level at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. His next challenge at the Foro Italico is a third-round clash against 27th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Guido Pella.

Rain in Rome has interrupted Saturday’s second-round matches at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, where play is provisionally suspended until further notice at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000.

After the start of the day’s play was initially postponed by 30 minutes until 11:30 am local time (CEST), Monte-Carlo champion Andrey Rublev and Alex Molcan played just one game in the opening match of the day on Court Pietrangeli before the rain returned and play was suspended again.

Play is provisionally suspended until further notice.

We are actively monitoring weather conditions and we’ll keep you posted on any schedule change here.

— Internazionali BNL d’Italia (@InteBNLdItalia) May 13, 2023

A host of big names are scheduled to start their campaign at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000, including second seed Carlos Alcaraz. By simply taking the court and making his Rome debut on Saturday against Albert Ramos-Vinolas, the 20-year-old will guarantee himself a return to No. 1 in the next edition of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Third seed Daniil Medvedev later meets Emil Ruusuvuori on Court Pietrangeli, where 2017 champion Alexander Zverev also clashes with David Goffin. On Grand Stand Arena, fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas meets Rome debutant Nuno Borges.

Former Australian doubles legend Owen Davidson – who in 1967 completed the mixed doubles Grand Slam – has passed away, aged 79.

Below is a summary of his career courtesy of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, into which he was inducted in 2010. At full tribute will follow later this weekend.

When Owen Davidson stepped onto a doubles court, particularly with Billie Jean King in mixed, the message was abundantly clear: You’ll have to play your best game – and then some – to come away victorious.

A champion of 11 major mixed doubles titles, eight with King, Davidson was only the third player in history to win a calendar year Grand Slam in mixed doubles. Overall, Davidson won four mixed doubles majors at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships. His four Wimbledon triumphs are the most mixed doubles crowns at the All England Club for a male player.

After all the basketball, it was so great to visit with one of our dearest friends and my mixed doubles partner, Owen Davidson.

Owen Davidson and I won 8 Grand Slam Mixed Doubles titles, 4 of them at #Wimbledon (1967, 1971, 1973, 1974). pic.twitter.com/eGOYROxYBf

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) April 5, 2023

In 1967, he dominated mixed doubles, first teaming with Aussie Lesley Turner to win the Australian Championships and then collaborating with King to sweep through the French, Wimbledon, and U.S. Championships. In their 8 mixed doubles championships from 1967 to 1974, the pair virtually ran the table, losing only the middle set of the 1973 U.S. Championships final against Margaret Court and Marty Riessen. The pairing of Davidson and King produced flawless doubles and won one French, four Wimbledon titles, and three U.S. titles. Davidson was the King of the Volley, and Billie Jean was a top five all-time female player. The 6-foot-1 Davidson presented a huge obstacle at net – his arm span and volleying acumen both delicate and forceful – and swift reflexes were as polished as any player in history. The duo left precious little space uncovered and were constantly on the attack. They were methodical and business-like on court and produced nearly perfect tennis chemistry. They lost only one major final opportunity, the 1968 French Championships to hometown favorites Françoise Dürr and Jean-Claude Barclay who ratcheted their game a complete notch at Roland Garros, winning 6-1, 6-4.

Before Davidson teamed with King at the French in 1967, he had already won three mixed doubles crowns, sharing the Australian in 1965 with his partner Robyn Ebbern and with Court and John Newcombe in a final that wasn’t played; the U.S. Championships in 1966 with Donna Floyd Fales over Carol Hanks Aucamp and Ed Rubinoff, 6-1, 6-3, and the 1967 Australian with Turner over fellow natives Judy Tegart Dalton and Tony Roche, 9-7, 6-4. Davidson and King’s three Grand Slam victories in 1967 were the most impressive of a 7-year partnership. At the French, they defeated Ann Haydon Jones and Ion Ţiriac 6-3, 6-1; Wimbledon was a 7-5, 6-2 triumph over Maria Bueno and Ken Fletcher 7-5, 6-2 and the U.S. Championships was an impressive 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Rosie Casals and Stan Smith.

Known as “Davo,” Davidson was a men’s doubles champion twice. He partnered with Ken Rosewall to nab the 1972 Australian Open over compatriots Ross Case and Geoff Masters, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3. Davidson’s last two major finals were at the 1972 and 1973 U.S. Championships where the results were split. In 1972, he and Newcombe lost to Cliff Drysdale and Roger Taylor, 4-6, 6-7, 3-6. In 1973, he and Newcombe had a sensational victory over Rod Laver and Rosewall, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.

In singles play, Davidson advanced to the Australian Championship quarterfinals five times (1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967), the Wimbledon semifinals in 1966, and the U.S. Championships quarterfinals twice (1966, 1967).

Davidson, who coached the British Davis Cup team from 1967 to 1970, was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2011.

Top 5 stars Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas headline the Saturday action at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, with all three set to begin their campaigns at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Second-round singles play will be complete by the end of Day 4 in the Rome main draw, with the field to be narrowed to 32.

Medvedev will be in action on Court Pietrangeli, where Andrey Rublev and Alexander Zverev will also compete. Three Italians join Alcaraz on the centre court slate, with Lorenzo Sonego meeting 25th seed Yoshihito Nishioka in the afternoon before countrymen Lorenzo Musetti and Matteo Arnaldi square off to cap the evening session.

ATPTour.com looks ahead to some of the biggest matches across the men’s singles draw and men’s doubles draw on the Saturday schedule.

[2] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP)

By simply taking the court and making his Rome debut, Carlos Alcaraz will guarantee himself a return to No. 1 in the next edition Peppersone ATP Rankings. But the Spaniard no doubt has his sights set on a third straight ATP Tour title after completing a second consecutive Spanish double across Barcelona and Madrid.

A title run for Alcaraz in his Rome debut could go through top seed Novak Djokovic in the final. While that potential matchup would be a fitting conclusion at the first event in 2023 in which both players are competing, Alcaraz will first turn his attention to countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Saturday.

Alcaraz owns a 3-0 ATP Head2Head record against his fellow Spaniard, including his very first ATP Tour win, earned in a third-set tie-break in Rio de Janeiro in 2020.

“It was a really good match for me, my first ATP win against him,” recalled the 20-year-old. “But that was a long time ago. After that I played [him] a few times more. It was really tough. I would say it’s a good first round for me. I have to play well to get through. Let’s see. I’m going to enjoy my first match here. Obviously here it’s such a nice place to be, to play, to enjoy the Italian fans. It’s always great to play in front [of them]. I’m going to enjoy that moment.”

Ramos-Vinolas came back from a set down to knock out Italian Francesco Passaro in the Rome opening round and will hope to carry that momentum into his showdown against Alcaraz.

[3] Daniil Medvedev vs. Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN)

Emil Ruusuvuori nearly knocked out Alcaraz in his previous tournament, leading the Spaniard by a set as he put on a power tennis clinic in Madrid. While he fell just short on that occasion, he will have another opportunity for a big upset in Rome against Medvedev.

Just like in Madrid, the Finn advanced to the second round by beating Ugo Humbert, this time in a third-set tie-break. But that’s where the similarities may end.

The matchup against Medvedev is very different from the one against Alcaraz, who was at home on the red clay of Spain. Medvedev has never made a secret of his struggles on the dirt, though he compiled a 4-2 record across Monte-Carlo and Madrid as he continues to work on his clay-court game.

Medvedev said that he feels great physically entering Rome, and he explained some of his efforts to adapt to the clay in recent weeks.

“[Playing with] some more spin,” Medvedev said in his pre-tournament press conference. “Especially the sliding, I think the sliding was always a problem [for me]. After Madrid, after I lost, a couple days I practised there, I tried to focus on the sliding, on the movement. I felt like I improved in these couple of days.”

(5) Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Nuno Borges (POR)

While Tsitsipas is still seeking his first title of 2023, he reached the final last month in Barcelona to match his run to the title match at the Australian Open earlier the season. Tsitsipas bookended his Barcelona run with quarter-finals in both Monte-Carlo and Madrid, and will once again be among the favourites at the year’s third clay-court ATP Masters 1000.

After being upset by German lucky loser (and eventual finalist) Jan-Lennard Struff in Madrid, Tsitsipas will be on red alert in Rome against Portugal’s Nuno Borges. The 26-year-old holds a 4-8 record so far in 2023 but beat Dusan Lajovic decisively in the Rome opening round, 6-4, 6-1. 

Tsitsipas is 23-7 on the season, his 23 tour-level victories tied for fifth-most in 2023. But the Greek is the only player with at least 20 wins not to win a title this season. He could rectify that by winning his first Rome title — and ATP Tour title No. 10 — in just more than one week’s time.

Also In Action…

Saturday will be a big day for Italian men’s tennis in Rome. In addition to Sonego vs. Nishioka and Musetti vs. Arnaldi on centre court, home favourite Marco Cecchinato will take on 21st seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the grandstand. Two all-Italian men’s doubles teams will also be in action: Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini face Austrians Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler, while wild cards Federico Arnaboldi and Gianmarco Ferrari play seventh seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden.

Singles sixth seed Rublev opens play on Pietrangeli against Alex Molcan, with 19th seed Zverev set to close play on the show court against David Goffin.

Court 12 will see three American men compete: J.J. Wolf takes on 14th seed Hubert Hurkacz, 12th seed Frances Tiafoe meets German qualifier Daniel Altmaier and ninth seed Taylor Fritz faces another German qualifier in Yannick Hanfmann.

In other doubles action, top seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski open their campaign against Matwe Middelkoop and Andreas Mies while second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury take on Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni.

Third seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek had to rally from a set down Friday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia to keep their hopes alive for a second ATP Masters 1000 title.

The Croatian-American duo, who won this year’s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, downed Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Fabrice Martin 5-7, 6-2, 10-6 after winning 31 of 38 first-serve points during the opening-round encounter. Dodig and Krajicek will next face Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski, whom they beat in the Monte-Carlo first round.

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz also needed a Match Tie-break to survive their Rome opener. The German pair ousted Marcelo Melo and Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-3, 10-6 in one hour, 22 minutes.

Krawietz and Puetz, who were finalists at last month’s ATP 250 event in Munich, await the winner of Robin Haase and Botic van de Zandschulp and eighth seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.

Great players find a way to win, even on days when they aren’t playing their best.

Such was the case for top seed Novak Djokovic in Friday’s second-round clash against Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

The Serbian overcame a rough first set – in which he committed 21 unforced errors and appeared physically unwell – to advance 7-6(5), 6-2 at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

The 35-year-old played with more margin and forced extended rallies in key moments of the match to move past the 6’5” Argentine. Despite having two set points at 4-5 in the first set, Djokovic was forced to a tie-break, where he won four consecutive points from 3/5 to seal an entertaining 75-minute set.

At 5-5 in the opening set, Djokovic appeared physically unwell as he hunched over in the corner of the court and took a tablet the following changeover. The Belgrade native continued to fight, forcing a break in Etcheverry’s first service game of the second set en route to closing a one-hour, 51-minute test.

Djokovic, who boasts a 65-10 Rome record, has never failed to reach the quarter-finals in 16 appearances in the Italian capital. A six-time Rome champion, Djokovic is aiming for a record-extending 39th Masters 1000 crown. He will next meet Grigor Dimitrov in the third round.

Etcheverry, 23, has played his best tennis this season. The Argentine was a finalist at the ATP 250 events in Santiago and Houston. Friday’s contest was his first match against a Top-10 opponent.

In a one-handed backhand clash, Dimitrov defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 7-6(3) after claiming 35 of 40 first-serve points. The Bulgarian found success by coming forward, having won all 12 of net points to move within one of tying his ATP Head2Head record against Wawrinka at seven a piece.

Dimitrov held a 3-1 lead in the second set before the Swiss fought back to later force a tie-break. The 26th seed Dimitrov won 62 per cent of rallies over four shots to advance.

“I’m just happy I was able to finish in straight sets,” Dimitrov said. “Overall, I felt good. It’s been a while since I’ve played matches like that. Off the blocks to play Stan is never easy. We’ve played so many times against each other, we kind of know what we are going to do in a lot of moments. I think today was a very small margin.”

Despite holding a 1-10 Head2Head record against Djokovic, the World No. 33 Dimitrov is looking forward to having another crack at the 22-time major champion.

“I like those matches,” Dimitrov said. “I’ve been on tour for so long, I feel comfortable to play against these guys. I know I don’t have the best record against him but I like to play against him and any of the top guys to see where I’m at. You never know how it’s going to go at the end of the day. I always like my chances, so you never know how it’s going to go.”

After reaching his first clay-court ATP Masters 1000 final last month in Monte-Carlo and suffering an early exit in Madrid, Holger Rune made a fast start in his debut at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Arthur Fils.

In a battle of #NextGenATP stars, the 20-year-old Rune dominated on return, converting on four of 12 break points in the victory.

“He made it tough. He’s young, younger than me. It feels kind of crazy because I think this is the second time in my life I’m playing someone that’s younger,” said Rune, who improved to 2-1 against younger opponents on the ATP Tour, having split two previous matches against Carlos Alcaraz. “For sure he’s in the right direction and I wish him all the best. He’s a nice guy.”

Rune reached a career-high Pepperstone ATP Ranking of World No. 7 after reaching the Monte-Carlo final and has maintained his position since then, aided by a successful title defence in Munich. With no points to defend in Rome, he could rise as high as No. 4 by winning his second Masters 1000 title after his 2022 Rolex Paris Masters triumph.

Fils, 18, was the youngest player in the Rome draw. After reaching his first ATP Tour semi-final in Montpellier in February and earning his first ATP Masters 1000 win on Wednesday against fellow qualifier Juan Manuel Cerundolo, the Frenchman was denied his first Top 10 win with defeat to Rune. The Dane’s victory extended his winning streak against French opponents to 13 matches, dating back to 2022.

Rune will next face wild card Fabio Fognini in the third round. The Italian earned 6-3, 7-6(6) upset of 30th seed Miomir Kecmanovic earlier on Friday to back up his three-set win against Andy Murray in the first round.

“It’s going to be wild, for sure,” Rune said of his matchup against the home favourite. “But this is great because this is what tennis is about. You already hear the football match [atmosphere] now and this is great, it’s fun. It brings tennis to another level and I’m super excited for it.”

Photo by Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

Fourth seed Casper Ruud also advanced on Friday evening with a 6-4, 6-0 win against Arthur Rinderknech. The Norwegian was a perfect four-of-four on his break chances while saving both break points against him.

The victory was Ruud’s 10th in Rome, marking the first time he has reached 10 wins at a single ATP Masters 1000 event. The 24-year-old is a two-time semi-finalist at the Foro Italico (2020, 2022).

Ruud will meet Alexander Bublik in the third round after the Kazakh’s 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 victory against 28th seed Ben Shelton.

Rinderknech fell to 2-2 against the Top 20 on clay by missing out on his biggest career win against the World No. 4.