It’s the last decisive stop before Roland Garros as the stars of the ATP Tour converge for the 80th edition of the Rome Masters. Top seed Novak Djokovic could see eye-to-eye against Carlos Alcaraz for the first time this year. In this article, we shall delve into the list of favorites, players to watch, and dark horses to win the third Masters 1000 on clay this season.
ATP Rome Masters 2023 Betting Tips & Predictions
Men’s Singles: Favorites to Win the 2023 Rome Masters
Fresh from his successful title defense at the Madrid Open, Carlos Alcaraz has the No. 1 ranking firmly in his mind. The 20-year-old Spaniard could reclaim it from Novak Djokovic should he win his first match in the Italian capital.
Alcaraz didn’t play in this tournament last year, so he’ll be set for his debut appearance. He is 29-2 for the season, and he’s made five finals from the six tournaments he has played in 2023.
Who will stop Alcaraz?
Djokovic could be who, depending on his fitness and the nature of his elbow injury. Djokovic is the second most successful player in Rome having won this event six times including last year’s edition against the odds.
The Serbian star hasn’t played since his shocking quarterfinal defeat in Banja Luka, thereafter withdrawing from the Madrid Open. A fit Djokovic is, without a doubt, the big threat to Alcaraz’s chances of lifting his fifth title of the season.
- Men’s Singles Winner Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz
- Men’s Singles Winner Dark Horse Prediction: Novak Djokovic
Men’s Singles: Players to Watch at the Rome Masters
Madrid wasn’t many player’s cup of tea given the fast conditions there favoring the big hitters. Normal service should resume for the ATP’s premier clay-court experts.
Casper Ruud has made the semifinals in Rome twice in his last three visits. He’s a player looking to amass as many points as possible in the next fortnight. He had an upturn in form in Estoril last month but struggled to impose himself in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Madrid. Simply put, Ruud cannot afford to go out early here.
Next in line to watch is Stefanos Tsitsipas. Last year’s finalist is without a title this year despite stringing 23 match wins in 2023. Tsitsipas will be keen not to see eyeball to eyeball against Djokovic, the man he’s fallen to in his last two visits to Rome.
Tsitsipas has a major battle on his hands to win his first title of the season, but like in Melbourne, he is a player who can seize the moment with a kind draw.
To Win the Tournament: Stefanos Tsitsipas
Men’s Singles: Dark Horses to Reach Second Week at Rome Masters
Expect the Italian players to do very well in their home tournament. And two of their top names are strong contenders this week.
One of them is Jannik Sinner, who is the sole Italian in the top 10. Sinner is a bit of a risk pick in the outright given that he hasn’t played since retiring from Barcelona over two weeks ago.
But Lorenzo Musetti could fill the void should Sinner have any physical issues that hamper his participation here. Musetti’s swashbuckling style can send the home crowd bonkers and he’s definitely expected to improve on his second-round showing from last year.
Alexander Zverev looked to have caught fire in Madrid, but was quickly extinguished by Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round. Zverev hasn’t had a slice of luck with the draws. Four of his last six defeats have come against top 10 players. He’s got a great record though in this tournament making the finals twice and winning it in 2017.
- To Win his Quarter: Jannik Sinner
- To Win his Quarter: Lorenzo Musetti
- To Win the Tournament: Alexander Zverev
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