A few first-round picks from the Italian Open today, and we've got a mix of a heavy favorite, a tricky clay-court battle, and a first-time meeting to break down. Let's get into it.
Italian Open Predictions
Daniel Altmaier vs Alexander Zverev
Head-to-head: Altmaier 1-3 Zverev
Altmaier's one win in this H2H came on clay, so it's not a completely hopeless situation for him, but Zverev in Rome is a different beast. He's won this title twice and the slow Roman clay is basically built for his serve-and-forehand game in long rallies. Altmaier is a decent grinder but there's a pretty wide gap in quality here.
Zverev wins this, probably in three sets just because Altmaier is stubborn enough to take one and there shouldn't be too much drama overall.
Prediction: Zverev in 3
Denis Shapovalov vs Mariano Navone
Head-to-head: Shapovalov 0-1 Navone
Navone already beat Shapovalov once, and that meeting was on clay, so he comes in with both the H2H and the surface advantage. Navone has been quietly building a reputation as one of the more consistent clay-court players in this part of the ranking, and Rome suits his patient baseline game well. Shapovalov can be brilliant on any surface but his clay results have never really matched his talent, and his form coming in hasn't been convincing.
I think Navone takes this in three, and it wouldn't surprise me if it's fairly comfortable, all things considered.
Prediction: Navone in 3
Zizou Bergs vs Terence Atmane
Head-to-head: First meeting
These two are separated by three ranking spots so it's close on paper, but Bergs has shown a lot more consistency on clay over the past year and feels like the more reliable option in a surface-specific tournament like this. Atmane has flashes of brilliance but can be frustratingly streaky, and Rome is a tough place to string results together when you're not fully dialed in. That said, Bergs in three seems right here.
Prediction: Bergs in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Laurent Lairys/ZUMA Press Wire