Hubert Hurkacz will look to build on his Rome win over Rafael Nadal when he faces Tomas Martin Etcheverry during third-round action on Monday. Holger Rune and Sebastian Baez are also part of the schedule.
(7) Hubert Hurkacz vs. (25) Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Hurkacz and Etcheverry will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they clash in round three of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Monday. Just one match into his tournament, it has already been a productive one for Hurkacz. The ninth-ranked Pole faced Rafael Nadal on Saturday and made quick 6-1, 6-3 work of the 10-time champion. Hurkacz’s clay-court swing also includes round-of-16 performances in Monte-Carlo and Madrid plus a title in Estoril.
Etcheverry would hate this matchup on any other surface, but on clay he should have a chance. The 28th-ranked Argentine was a 2023 Roland Garros quarterfinalist and he has already reached a pair of clay-court semis this spring (Houston and Barcelona). Etcheverry opened in Rome with a 6-3, 7-5 win over an in-form Thiago Seyboth Wild, who is also excellent on the slow stuff. Even though Hurkacz is playing well, he is never going to be at his best on clay and it would not be surprising to see him get hit with a reality check two days after defeating Nadal.
Pick: Etcheverry in 3
(17) Sebastian Baez vs. (10) Holger Rune
With Rafael Nadal’s clay-court dominance having com to an end and the top of the ATP rankings pretty much in shambles right now, the upcoming French Open could be wide open. Rune is one of many guys who are now realistic title contenders–and he is in Rome, as well. The 12th-ranked Dane was the runner-up at this event in 2023 and his exploits at clay-court Masters 1000 tournaments also include a final appearance last year in Monte-Carlo and a Monte-Carlo quarterfinal result last month. Rune has struggled in recent weeks, but he did well to beat Luca Nardi 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday.
Up next for the 21-year-old on Monday is a fifth meeting with Baez, who trails the main-tour head-to-head series 2-1 but is 2-2 against Rune overall. Unsurprisingly, both of Baez’s wins have come on the Golden Swing. They most recently squared off on the indoor hard courts of Basel this past fall, when Rune rolled 7-6(2), 6-1. Clay obviously gives Baez a chance, but he has never been as effective at bigger events on European soil as he is in South America. The world No. 19 generally struggles against higher-ranked opponents, too–especially those who can overpower him from the back of the court. That is something Rune will likely do in this one.
Pick: Rune in 2