Draw Preview
Sinner learns Rome path, Zverev & returning Djokovic in same half of draw
World No. 1 Sinner opens against Michelsen or Ofner at Foro Italico
May 04, 2026
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Jannik Sinner is on a 28-match winning streak at ATP Masters 1000 level.
By ATP Staff
Jannik Sinner could face a couple of intriguing early rematches in his bid to complete the Career Golden Masters on home soil at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome.
The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, who is chasing a record-extending sixth consecutive ATP Masters 1000 crown, begins his latest title tilt against Alex Michelsen or Sebastian Ofner. Sinner could face Jakub Mensik as early as the third round: The 26th-seeded Mensik is one of just two players to have defeated the Italian in 2026, having done so in the Doha quarter-finals in February.
View Rome Draw
If Sinner reaches the fourth round, he is seeded to meet Arthur Fils. Sinner was a comfortable straight-sets winner against Fils last Friday in the semi-finals at the Mutua Madrid Open, but he will nonetheless be wary of the in-form Frenchman, who is fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Currently 30-2 for the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Sinner is aiming to become the second man after Novak Djokovic to triumph at all nine Masters 1000 events (Djokovic has won each event at least twice).
Top-10 stars Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton and Daniil Medvedev are also in Sinner’s half of the draw. The fourth-seeded Auger-Aliassime could face fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov first up, while #NextGenATP star Joao Fonseca is a potential third-round opponent. The fifth-seeded Shelton will open against a qualifier. Former World No. 1 Medvedev, who won his only clay title so far in Rome in 2023, faces a tough opening test against either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Tomas Machac.
In the bottom half of the draw, Djokovic will make his return after more than six weeks out due to injury. The six-time champion in the ‘Eternal City’ will start against Marton Fucsovics or a qualifier. Djokovic is in the same quarter as eighth seed and home favourite Lorenzo Musetti, as well as 11th seed Jiri Lehecka and 23rd seed Casper Ruud, who are seeded to meet in the third round.
Second seed Alexander Zverev, who reached his first final of 2026 in Madrid before falling to Sinner, will aim to respond quickly to his heavy defeat in that match in the Spanish capital. Zverev, a two-time Rome titlist, plays his fellow German Daniel Altmaier or Zhang Zhizhen in his opener.
Sixth seed Alex de Minaur is a potential quarter-final opponent for Zverev, but the Australian will not be looking too far ahead in Rome. He will begin against home hope Matteo Arnaldi or Jaume Munar, and is then seeded to take on #NextGenATP star Rafael Jodar in the third round. That would be the pair’s second Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting after their second-round clash in Madrid, where the 19-year-old Jodar marched to a 6-3, 6-1 victory.
