More than three months after his triumph at the Australian Open, Jannik Sinner will return to business. Fresh and available, the world number one will quickly have to get into the rhythm. In Rome, where he will be both scrutinized by everyone and expected in triumph by the Italian public, the world number one will probably not have the luxury of raising quietly. The draw made Monday noon concocted a potentially loaded menu and noted on the semi-finals road.
Exempted from the first round, Sinner will start either against his young compatriot Federico Cina, 18 and 323rd in the world, or against Mariano Navone who, if he fell in the standings lately, was still a member of the Top 30 a few months ago. For a return to earth, the Argentinian is not necessarily a gift. If his return is victorious, the triple winner in the Grand Chelem could be used some serious customers, with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina from the 16th finals, or Francisco Cerundolo in eighth.
The Spaniard and the Argentinian were talked about on clay in this spring, the first having reached the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo and the second the half in Munich and especially in Madrid. If they actually stand on the road to Jannik Sinner in this first phase of the Roman tournament, the boss will be quickly tested for his return. But the best could be to come next: according to the draw, it is indeed Casper Ruud, haloed by his coronation in Madrid, which would be offered to him in the quarterfinals.
Alcaraz Avec beasts
Such a poster, less than two weeks before the kick-off of Roland-Garros, would be worth the detour and could be likely to consolidate the status of the winner in the optics of the Parisian Grand Slam. To get there, the Norwegian will however have to succeed in digesting his victory in Castile and being wary of a few customers, from Bublik to Berrettini via Korda or Shelton. But this sinner-rud would be the very first duel on clay between the two men.
The lower part of the table will also be well loaded. Carlos Alcaraz, if he confirms his presence, on which a little doubt hovers at this hour, spared Sinner, that he could only find in the final. He appears in the game of Alexander Zverev. This is also the case of the new member of the Top 5, Jack Draper, who could meet the iron with Alcaraz from the quarters, but also of Holger Rune, Lorenzo Musetti, Stefanos Tsitsipas or Daniil Medvedev.
As for the French, the two leaders, Arthur fils and Ugo Humbert, are also in the lower area of the table. The first could face tsitsipas in the third round and Zverev in eighth. As for the Lorraine, still in delicacy with his injured hand, it was towards Holger Rune that he is good at the time of heading in the 16th finals. Not a gift. Finally, note a fratricidal entry confrontation between Benjamin Bonzi and Quentin Halys, the winner then before challenging Sebastian Baez, seeded number 32.
The theoretical knockout stages
Jannik Sinner (ITA) – Frances Tiafoe (EU)
Ben Shelton (EU) – Casper Ruud (NOR)
Taylor Fritz (EU) – Andrey Rublev (RUS)
Tommy Paul (I) – Alex de Minaur (Aus)
Jack Draper (GB) – Holger Rune (Dan)
Grigor Dimitrov (Bul) – Carlos Alcaraz (Esp)
Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) – Daniil Medvedev (Russ)
Arthur Fils (from) – Alexander Zverev (All)
