Casper Ruud’s best ATP Masters 1000 event has been the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The Norwegian’s confidence at the Foro Italico proved helpful on Sunday when he overcame Alexander Bublik in a third-round thriller.

The magnetic Kazakhstani Bublik rallied the crowd to his side with his inimitable brand of shotmaking and shot selection. But Ruud was rock solid when it mattered most to triumph 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(0) for a place in the fourth round at an event where the 24-year-old has made the semi-finals in his past two appearances.

“It’s been a very good tournament for me in my career. I’ve reached the semis here twice and twice I lost to Novak in the semi-finals, so it sort of shows that I’ve been beating a lot of good players up until facing one of the best ever,” Ruud said in his on-court interview. “I have a lot of good memories from here and the Italian fans are incredible, even though today they were maybe cheering even more for Bublik. It’s an incredible experience playing out here on this court, Pietrangeli.

“It’s a very special court and you can see it’s full almost every single match no matter who plays, so it was really fun and it gives me good vibes being here in Rome.”

As always Bublik used every shot up his sleeve to try to put Ruud into discomfort. After going down an immediate mini-break in the final-set tie-break, the Kazakhstani stood almost up to the service line to return his opponent’s serve.

But in the most critical moment, Ruud locked down from the baseline and allowed Bublik to misfire.

“In the tie-break I just played luckily very good, didn’t do any mistakes and it was very nice to have a 6/0 lead there at the end,” Ruud said.

It was an entertaining match and the pair shared a lengthy, friendly exchange at the net. The crowd chanted Bublik’s name as he walked off the court.

“I take every point serious no matter what the score is. Then you play Sascha, who has unbelievable talent and I’m up 5-0 after 17 minutes on court where he just sort of does mistakes and I’m just there putting the ball in,” Ruud said. “At least he still has fun with it because at 0-5 he starts hitting underarm serves and gets the crowd involved even though he’s down. From then on he’s serving great.

“He can do everything from a 40 km/h drop shot underarm serve to 220 out wide, a bomb. So it’s very difficult to know what’s coming. And as long as the score is kind of close, you feel like he’s fighting and giving it all.”

In the last match of the evening, home favourite Jannik Sinner clawed past lucky loser Alexander Shevchenko 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-2.

Shevchenko positioned himself well in the second set by playing aggressive tennis to push back the powerful Italian. The No. 93 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings let slip an opportunity to serve out the set. But despite his disappointment, Shevchenko recovered well in the tie-break to force a decider.

Sinner did not panic, earning an early break in the third set to halt his opponent’s momentum and continue his pursuit of a maiden Masters 1000 title.

“I think I was quite in the zone, trying to play every point in the maximum,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “I missed a couple of points, especially in the second set and in the tie-break, but you have to cut this part away and then try to be ready for the third set, which I’ve done. I reacted very well.

“Trying to take all the positives. Obviously I won the match so I’m very happy and happy that I can play one more match here in Rome.”

The eighth seed will next play 24th seed Francisco Cerundolo.

Novak Djokovic overcame second-set frustration with a high-class third-set showing on Sunday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, where he overcame Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 in Rome.

The top seed and defending champion had appeared set for a routine third-round victory when he led Dimitrov by a set and a break at 6-3, 4-2. An inspired run of four games from the Bulgarian forced a decider at the Foro Italico, but Djokovic expertly raised his level to reach the fourth round with his 1050th tour-level victory.

“[I was] very solid. I think I could have won in straight sets,” said Djokovic. “I was a set and 4-2 up and had a pretty decent forehand in the middle of the court at deuce on his serve and missed that. He held his serve well, we had new balls the next game, I did a double fault, the crowd got into it and got behind him and of course the energy of the place and the of the match changed.

“I dropped my level a bit, but luckily I managed find it right away in the first game [of the third set], made that crucial break and kind of shifted the momentum to my side, so I’m really pleased with the way I closed out the match.”

With his two-hour, 20-minute win, Djokovic improved to 11-1 in his ATP Head2Head series against Dimitrov. The 35-year-old will next take on 13th seed Cameron Norrie or Marton Fucsovics as he bids to reach the quarter-finals for the 17th time in as many appearances in Rome.

“Luckily for me in my career I managed to win more matches than those that I lost when I was facing difficult circumstances,” said Djokovic when asked about his ability to produce his best under pressure. “I also lost a lot of matches, particularly in the beginning of my career. For a few years, whenever I needed to make that final step or win a Slam, I didn’t manage to do that, so I learned a lot.

“I got stronger because of the rivalries, particularly with [Roger] Federer, [Rafael] Nadal and [Andy] Murray. Just staying the course, staying patient and believing in the process and the journey… Understanding what works for you best, what’s your winning formula mentally and also physically and emotionally, and then sticking to it.”

Djokovic made a sluggish start for the second match in a row at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000, where he was broken to love in the first game by the 26th seed Dimitrov. However, just as he did against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in his opening match, the Serbian responded in style. He reeled off four games in a row en route to a first set in which he made just three unforced errors.

Despite letting slip his dominant position in the second set, the decider saw Djokovic return to the level that he has frequently shown in Rome across his career. Striking cleanly off both wings and offering few short balls for Dimitrov to attack, he broke the Bulgarian’s serve three times to complete his win and improve to 66-10 in the Italian capital.

Holger Rune remains a potential quarter-final opponent for Djokovic after the seventh-seeded Dane raced past home favourite Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-2 earlier on Sunday.

The Rome debutant Rune converted four of his eight break points to advance after 77 minutes and improve to 24-9 for the 2023 season. The 20-year-old is chasing his second Masters 1000 crown after he beat Djokovic to lift the title at the Rolex Paris Masters last November. His fourth-round opponent will be Alexei Popyrin, the Australian qualifier who defeated Roman Safiullin 7-5, 7-5.

Daniil Medvedev arrived at this year’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia with 76 ATP Masters 1000 match wins, but none of them had come in Rome.

The 27-year-old added a victory in the Eternal City to his collection in style on Sunday afternoon, when he overcame Emil Ruusuvuori 6-4, 6-2 to reach the third round at the clay-court event.

“It is a little bit [of a relief],” said Medvedev. “We can talk about all of the matches I lost here, they were different. The first one, I feel like I should have won, but it is [what it is]. Whenever I come to a tournament, I know that I can play well, so I’m happy to finally get the win here in Rome.”

Medvedev managed a potentially tricky opening match with a typically resilient display of baseline hitting. He redirected Ruusuvuori’s powerful groundstrokes to great effect on Court Pietrangeli, where he broke the Finn’s serve five times en route to an 88-minute triumph.

With his Tour-leading 32nd match win of the year, the third-seeded Medvedev improved to 10-0 in opening rounds for 2023. After tasting victory on the Rome clay for the first time in four main-draw appearances, the five-time Masters 1000 champion will seek to maintain his momentum in a third-round clash against Bernabe Zapata Miralles.

“I want to win as many matches as possible,” said Medvedev. “I know it can be a little bit trickier for me on clay, but honestly this year I am playing really well.

“The matches I lost, I lost against great opponents who [just] played better than me and not much [else] to say. I’m doing my absolute best and playing well. I already beat a lot of good opponents. Last week [in Madrid] Emil was one of only two players who won a set against Carlos [Alcaraz], so I’m feeling great and just looking forward to trying to play my best tennis until the end of the clay season.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas did not take long to join Medvedev in the third round. After play was suspended due to rain on Saturday evening with the Greek leading Nuno Borges by a set and a break at 6-3, 4-3, the fifth seed won eight of 11 points on Sunday to wrap a 6-3, 6-3 triumph.

The fifth-seeded Tsitsipas reached his maiden Rome final in 2022 and now holds a 10-5 record in the Italian capital. A two-time Masters 1000 champion on clay after he triumphed in Monte-Carlo in 2021 and 2022, the 24-year-old will next take on home favourite Lorenzo Sonego as he chases his first ATP Tour title of the season.

The opening Sunday at the 2023 Internazionali BNL d’Italia sees all players in the top half of the draw at the ATP Masters 1000 event battling for a spot in the fourth round, as well as the conclusion of second-round action after rain suspended play on Saturday night.

Defending champion and top seed Novak Djokovic takes on Grigor Dimitrov for the 12th time at Tour level, while home hope Jannik Sinner meets Alexander Shevchenko. The local fans will also cheer on Fabio Fognini as the Italian seeks a third-round upset against seventh seed Holger Rune.

Among the remaining second-round matches, Stefanos Tsitsipas will look to see home his set-and-a-break lead against Nuno Borges, while Daniil Medvedev meets Emil Ruusuvuori and Alexander Zverev faces David Goffin.

ATPTour.com previews some of the standout matches on the Day 5 schedule in Rome.

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. [26] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)

Djokovic may hold a 10-1 ATP Head2Head series lead against Dimitrov, but the pair is 1-1 on clay. Both those meetings came way back in 2013, when Dimitrov triumphed in Madrid before Djokovic gained his revenge at Roland Garros.

The Serbian has won four of his six Rome titles since that last clay-court clash with Dimitrov, and the top seed will hope to stay on track for a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 crown by downing the former World No. 3 at the Foro Italico. Despite some early struggles in his second-round match against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Djokovic pulled through to improve to 65-10 at an event where he has never failed to reach the quarter-finals in 16 previous appearances.

In a match against an opponent with no recognisable weakness to target, Dimitrov’s ability to acquire free points on his serve will be key to his chances. The 31-year-old won 35 of 40 first-serve points in his opening match against Stan Wawrinka, and Dimitrov is relishing the chance to take on Djokovic as he chases his second Top 10 win of the year.

“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.”

[8] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. [LL] Alexander Shevchenko

The 21-year-old Sinner could hardly have made a better start to his bid to become the first Italian man to triumph in Rome since Adriano Panatta in 1976. The eighth seed breezed through a potentially difficult opener against Thanasi Kokkinakis to maintain his red-hot ATP Masters 1000 form.

The Miami finalist Sinner is now 13-3 at Masters 1000 level for the season and will hope home support can also help power him past Shevchenko on Sunday. The Italian’s consistency this year, when he has reached at least the quarter-finals in all seven ATP Tour events he has played, has propelled him to fifth place in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin.

Sinner will be wary of the threat Shevchenko poses, however. The 22-year-old lucky loser has risen to a career-high No. 93 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings off the back of a 17-6 record at ATP Challenger Tour level and a run to the third round on Masters 1000 main-draw debut in Madrid, where he pushed Daniil Medvedev to three sets.

With both players most comfortable striking big from the baseline, the outcome of the pair’s maiden ATP Head2Head clash may depend on whether Sinner can replicate his free-hitting display against Kokkinakis. If he does, the home favourite will be a hard man to stop.

[7] Holger Rune (DEN) vs. [WC] Fabio Fognini (ITA)

A popcorn clash between one of ATP Tour’s young stars and a charasmatic home veteran promises an intriguing spectacle for fans at the Foro Italico.

The seventh-seeded Rune made an impressive Rome debut on Friday, when he eased past his #NextGenATP rival Arthur Fils in straight sets. However, the vastly experienced Fognini, who will be backed by his adoring home crowd, will provide a stern test of the 20-year-old Dane’s ability to handle one of the most vibrant atmospheres on Tour at the Foro Italico.

Rune will hope for a repeat of his straight-sets win in the pair’s only previous tour-level meeting in Montreal last year. Fognini, a 2018 quarter-finalist in Rome and a natural entertainer, will hope some more moments of magic can help him add to his opening victories against former World No. 1 Andy Murray and 30th seed Miomir Kecmanovic.

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

Ruusuvuori nearly knocked out Carlos 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.”

Also In Action…

Fourth seed Casper Ruud and 13th seed Cameron Norrie hope to back up strong opening performances in their third-round matches against Alexander Bublik and Marton Fucsovics, respectively. Francisco Cerundolo is the other seed in action, as the Argentine takes on the in-form Frenchman Gregoire Barrere.

A quartet of players who upset seeded opponents in the second round also look to extend their stay in Rome, although only two will remain in the draw after Sunday’s play. Alexei Popyrin, who beat Felix Auger-Aliassime for his third Top 10 win of the year on Friday, plays fellow qualifier Roman Safiullin, while Cristian Garin takes on Laslo Djere.

Stefanos Tsitsipas led Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-3, 4-3 at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome on Saturday before rain suspended play for the day.

The fifth-seeded Greek was in control throughout the first 65 minutes, hitting 15 winners and not facing a break point in the heavy conditions. Tsitsipas will return on Sunday leading by a break advantage in the second set.

Tsitsipas holds fond memories in Rome, having advanced to the championship match at the clay-court event in 2022. Aiming to go one step further this week and clinch his maiden title of the season, the 24-year-old could next play Lorenzo Sonego after the Italian defeated Yoshihito Nishioka 7-5, 6-3.

Tsitsipas has often produced his best tennis on clay, winning four of his nine tour-level titles on the surface. He won both his ATP Masters 1000 crowns on clay in Monte-Carlos in 2021 and 2022.

Earlier this season, the Greek advanced to his second Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, before he reached the championship match at the ATP 500 event in Barcelona. Tsitsipas is currently fourth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin but could jump to third if he wins the title.

Borges earned his maiden ATP Masters 1000 win against Dusan Lajovic in the first round. The Portuguese, currently No. 74 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, has won two ATP Challenger Tour titles this year.

Due to rain, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev did not take to court on Saturday. Medvedev will face Emil Ruusuvuori on Sunday, with Zverev taking on David Goffin.

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Just two doubles matches were contested on Saturday in Rome, with rain postponing the other four matches on the schedule. Sixth seeds Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara defeated Nathaniel Lammons and John Peers 7-6(2), 2-6, 10-6, with the British-Finnish duo saving all four break points against them before a clutch performance in the Match Tie-break.

Seventh seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Eden also advanced to the second round with a 6-3, 7-6(6) win against Italians Federico Arnaboldi and Gianmarco Ferari. The Indian-Australian team was three of four on their break chances in the win.

Borna Coric earned his 200th tour-level win on Saturday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, where he clawed past Thiago Monteiro 4-6, 7-6(8), 7-6(5).

In a thrilling second-round clash, the Croatian saved one match point in the second-set tie-break, before he edged a tight decider to reach the third round in Rome for the first time after three hours and 34 minutes.

The 26-year-old claimed his first tour-level win in Umag in 2014, defeating Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2, 6-4. He then captured his maiden tour-level title in Marrakech in 2017 before he won his first ATP Masters 1000 crown last season in Cincinnati.

The 15th seed will next play Roberto Carballes Baena in Rome after the Spaniard defeated 20th seed Daniel Evans 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-4. Coric arrives in the Italian capital in form, after advancing to the semi-finals in Madrid earlier this month.

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’”.

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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.