Announcement: Rublev, Gauff, and Sinner Start on Clay at the Rome Masters
On May 9 and 10, the second round matches of the tennis Masters in Rome will take place: Andrey Rublev faces Kecmanovic, Coco Gauff takes on Sierra, and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner meets Ofner.
Main Event
On May 9 and 10, 2026, the second round of the prestigious Masters 1000 tournament — Internazionali BNL d'Italia — kicks off on the clay courts of the Foro Italico in Rome. World tennis stars enter the fray for a spot in the next round: world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, world No. 5 Andrey Rublev, and world No. 3 Coco Gauff.
The centerpiece of Saturday's play will be the long-awaited appearance of Jannik Sinner, who at 7:00 PM local time will open his campaign against Austrian Sebastian Ofner, ranked 82nd in the ATP rankings. The Italian crowd, hungry for big wins from their idol on home soil, will pack the stands of the Center Court. Sinner approaches the Rome Masters as the outright favorite not only for this match but for the entire tournament: the 23-year-old Italian has won the last four Masters in a row — Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid. Now he faces the ambitious task of winning a fifth title this season and a sixth consecutive Masters 1000, which would be a historic achievement.
Meanwhile, on the other courts of the Roman forum, Andrey Rublev and Coco Gauff will play their second-round matches. The Russian, seeded sixth, will face Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, while the American will take on Argentine Solana Sierra. Both matches draw heightened interest in terms of tournament prospects and current form.
Details and Statistics
Sinner vs. Ofner: A Test for the Austrian
Jannik Sinner and Sebastian Ofner will play their second career head-to-head match. Their first meeting was in 2019 at a Challenger in St. Ulrich (Italy), when Sinner was 18 and won 6:2, 6:4. Since then, the Italian has come a long way, becoming a dominant force in world tennis.
Ofner, for his part, approaches the match as a clear underdog but with fighting spirit. In the first round, he confidently beat American Alex Michelsen 6:3, 6:3, showing good form. "I'll try to play my tennis and give my maximum. I have to believe I can beat him, otherwise there's no point in stepping on court," the Austrian said on the eve of the match. A key factor for him will be the quality of his serve: against Michelsen, Ofner landed only 52% of first serves, which is far from enough against a return master like Sinner.
Betting odds leave no doubt about the balance of power: Sinner's win probability is around 1.03–1.05, while Ofner's success is priced at 12.00 or higher. Experts agree that the only intrigue is whether the Austrian can put up a fight in at least one set.
Rublev vs. Kecmanovic: A Battle of Characters on the Super Tennis Arena
The match between Andrey Rublev and Miomir Kecmanovic will take place on May 9 at 11:00 AM on the Super Tennis Arena. This will be their third career meeting: Rublev leads 2-0, with both wins on hard courts — in Miami 2023 (6:1, 6:2) and earlier in Belgrade. Notably, they have never faced each other on clay.
The Russian is ranked 14th in the ATP with a 15-9 win-loss record in the 2026 season, including 5-3 on clay. His best result this season was reaching the final in Barcelona. However, at the Madrid Masters last round, he exited in the second round, losing to Czech Kopriva 3:6, 4:6.
Kecmanovic, ranked 70th, has had an inconsistent season: 9 wins and 13 losses, with a modest 1-3 on clay. In the first round of the Rome tournament, the Serbian beat compatriot Svrčina 6:2, 6:3, converting 6 of 13 break points. However, his record against top-level players remains weak. Bookmakers see Rublev as the clear favorite: odds on his win are 1.31, on Kecmanovic 3.44.
Some analysts, however, urge caution in predictions. Expert from Last Word On Sports noted that Rublev is known for his emotional instability on court, and the Roman courts, as the Russian himself admitted, are not very comfortable for him. If Kecmanovic can impose a tight battle from the first games, the Serbian might have a chance.
Gauff vs. Sierra: A Test for the Rising Star
Coco Gauff, world No. 4, will start her Rome campaign in the second round against 19-year-old Argentine Solana Sierra. In the first round, the American defeated Tereza Valentova 6:3, 6:4, though her play was not flawless: Gauff committed seven double faults and lost her serve four times.
Sierra is on the rise. In the first round, she successively eliminated Tamara Korpatsch and Angelina Kalinina, conceding no more than three games per set. Earlier this season, the Argentine reached the fourth round of the Madrid Masters, confirming her reputation as one of the most promising clay-court specialists of the new generation.
Head-to-head history favors Gauff: at the United Cup in early 2026, the American crushed Sierra 6:1, 6:1. Gauff's record against opponents outside the top 50 is telling: since the start of 2022, she has won 101 of 108 such matches. Sierra, on the other hand, has never beaten a top-20 player, with 0 wins in 4 attempts. The analytical model Stats Insider estimates the American's win probability at 88%.
The prize fund for the men's tournament in Rome is €8,235,540, with the winner receiving €1,007,165 and 1,000 ranking points. For reaching the third round, participants earn €31,585 and 30 points.
Context and Significance
The Rome Masters traditionally serves as the main rehearsal before Roland Garros and an indicator of players' readiness for the clay Grand Slam. For each of these players, this tournament holds special significance.
For Jannik Sinner, the Rome Masters is not just another title but a matter of national pride. Despite his phenomenal track record (five of the last six Masters), the Italian has never won his home tournament. Last year he exited in the semifinals, and he is determined to set things right in front of the Foro Italico crowd. A win in Rome would make Sinner the first player in history to win six consecutive Masters.
Andrey Rublev is fighting to regain confidence after a relatively poor stretch of the season. The second-round exit in Madrid was a painful blow, and his dislike for the Roman courts, which he mentioned in interviews, adds psychological complexity. Reaching the third round with solid play could be a turning point before Roland Garros.
Coco Gauff, a finalist at the Rome tournament in 2025 and a two-time Grand Slam champion, is still searching for her first title in 2026. Despite consistent results (four quarterfinals in four months), the lack of a trophy is starting to weigh on the American. The clay courts of Europe, where she traditionally excels due to phenomenal movement and defensive skills, provide an excellent opportunity to break that streak.
Also noteworthy is the climatic factor: unlike fast-paced Madrid, located at 600 meters above sea level, the Roman clay is slower and heavier, favoring players with good physical conditioning and patience in rallies. These qualities are the hallmark of all three favorites in Saturday's matches.
What's Next / Preview of the Next Match
The second-round matches featuring Rublev and Gauff will take place on May 9 in the day session: Rublev takes the court at 11:00 AM local time, Gauff approximately at 4:00 PM. The evening slot at 7:00 PM is entirely dedicated to Sinner and Ofner, whose match will be broadcast on Sky Sport Tennis and Sky Sport Uno.
The winner of the Rublev-Kecmanovic match will face in the third round either Czech Machac or Daniil Medvedev, who also plays his match on May 9. Gauff, if successful, will face the winner of the Golubic-Andreeva match. Sinner will await the winner of the Tirante-Norrie clash in the third round.
On Sunday, May 10, the tournament will continue to gain momentum: third-round matches in both draws will take place, and top players like Aryna Sabalenka, Ben Shelton, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and others will step onto the Foro Italico courts. The main question of the weekend is whether any of the favorites will stumble early, or if all three will confidently advance to the second week, where the battle for the title and prize money of over one million euros will intensify.
— Editorial Team
