Federer Leads 'Big Four' On Wednesday In Rome

Coming into the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, in 52 of the past 56 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments (since ’10 Monte-Carlo), one of the Big Four: Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Rafael Nadal have lifted the trophy. During that stretch, Djokovic has won 24 titles, Nadal 13, Federer 8 and Murray 7. Since 2013, one of the Big Four has reached the past 31 ATP Masters 1000 finals. On Wednesday, all four play their opening round matches.

In the opening match on Center Court, Federer and Next Generation star Alexander Zverev meet  for the first time. Federer is making his 16th appearance in Rome and looking for his first title after four runner-up showings (2003, 2006, 2013, 2015). The 34-year-old Swiss superstar is playing in only his fourth tournament of the season and he comes in with a 10-3 match record. The 19-year-old German, playing in Rome for the first time, enters with a 17-11 match record, already surpassing last year’s mark (14-17). He is trying to post his first career Top 10 win (0-7).

In the next match on, World No. 1 and two-time reigning champion Djokovic takes on French qualifier Stephane Robert for the first time. Djokovic, a four-time overall winner in Rome, comes in fresh off his record 29th career ATP Masters 1000 crown in Madrid and fifth title of the season. The 28-year-old Serb has a 33-2 match record on the season. The 35-year-old Robert is 1-7 lifetime against Top 10 opponents and his lone win came over No. 6 Berdych at 2011 Roland Garros.

In the evening session, top German Philipp Kohlschreiber meets seven-time Rome champion Nadal, who has won 12 of the previous 13 meetings (5-0 on clay). The Spaniard won the last meeting 63 63 in the semi-finals of Barcelona last month en route to the title. Kohlschreiber is playing a Top 10 opponent for the 101st time in his career (22-78), the eighth time this season (1-6). Nadal leads the ATP World Tour this year with a 17-3 clay court record and his 13-match winning streak came to an end with his SF loss last weekend at ATP Masters 1000 Madrid (l. to Murray).

On Grandstand, in the second match on, Portugal’s No. 1 player, Joao Sousa, who is a career-high No. 30 this week in the Emirates ATP Rankings, takes on No. 13 seed Dominic Thiem, who is 4-1 in their FedEx ATP Head 2 Head meetings. In the next match on, qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan, squares off with Murray, who is 3-0 in their head-to-head meetings (first on clay). Sousa is coming off his best result of the season, a QF at ATP Masters 1000 Madrid, while Murray was runner-up. In the last match on, Spaniards Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and No. 9 David Ferrer collide for the 11th time (Ferrer leads 9-1, including 5-0 on clay), second week in a row (Madrid).

On Pietrangeli, in the third match on, the No. 2 players from their respective country are featured as No. 11 seed Richard Gasquet of France, takes on Italian Andreas Seppi. Gasquet owns a 5-1 advantage in their head-to-head. In the next match on, the youngest player in the Top 10 Emirates ATP Rankings, No. 10 Milos Raonic (25), squares off with the youngest player in the Top 20, No. 20-ranked Next Generation star Nick Kyrgios (21). They have split the previous four meetings.