The 2026 Italian Open Men’s Draw has been revealed, and it starts with one question.

Can anyone stop Jannik Sinner from winning his sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title?

With Carlos Alcaraz dealing with a sore wrist, Sinner is the clear favorite to win his first title in Rome.

Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, and Arthur Fils could have something to say about that, as could several others if the Italian No. 1 falters or fails to appear.

Read on for our full 2026 Italian Open Men’s Draw breakdown, starting May 6.

Sinner’s Quarter

Jannik Sinner is 11-0 on the dirt, and, if he plays, is chasing a sixth straight Masters 1000 title after already setting the mark with five.

Sinner’s main competition will likely come from this group.

• Jakub Mensik
• Arthur Fils
• Ben Shelton
• Brandon Nakashima
• Andrey Rublev

Not much is standing in Sinner’s way. Mensik and Fils can push him, but neither is as consistent over long clay rallies. 

Shelton has the biggest game here and has beaten Sinner before, so he is the one matchup that can get dangerous if conditions help his serve.

Still, this is Sinner’s section to lose.

Prediction: Sinner

Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Quarter

This is a wide-open quarter.

Felix Auger-Aliassime and 2023 champion Daniil Medvedev headline this section, but who gets through to face Sinner in the semis is anyone’s guess.

• Denis Shapovalov
• Joao Fonseca
• Tomas Martin Etcheverry
• Valentin Vacherot
• Flavio Cobolli
• Cameron Norrie
• Stefanos Tsitsipas

There is no clear favorite, and it is hard to trust anyone here. 

Tsitsipas, Cobolli, Norrie, Shapavolov, and Fonseca have the upside, Vacherot keeps fighting, and Medvedev has done it here before.

Prediction: Fonseca

Djokovic’s Quarter

Novak Djokovic is the most accomplished player here, but this quarter reads like a group of death.

• Lorenzo Musetti
• Francisco Cerundolo
• Casper Ruud
• Vit Kopriva
• Karen Khachanov
• Jiri Lehecka
• Novak Djokovic (if he turns up)

Musetti is more than capable, but he has not looked right. Cerundolo and Lehecka can cause problems, but Djokovic and Ruud are the main names here.

Djokovic has not played since Indian Wells. Ruud is a two-time semifinalist in Rome and is probably the best clay court player in this section right now.

Prediction: Ruud

Zverev’s Quarter

Alexander Zverev is the second-best player in the field. He is 16-4 in Masters 1000 events this season, and Sinner is the only player this season to beat him at this level.

• Alexander Blockx
• Alexander Zverev
• Rafael Jodar
• Luciano Darderi
• Sebastian Baez
• Tommy Paul

Blockx is coming off a semifinal run in Madrid, and Jodar is having a breakthrough season.

Darderi and Baez have had success at smaller events but not much at this level. Tommy Paul has not played much since winning Houston.

Prediction: Zverev

Full 2026 Italian Open Intelligence Command Center

Phil Naessens

Phil Naessens is a tennis betting analyst and former tennis coach with decades of experience in player development and match analysis. He is the founder of Crush Rush News and host of the Crush & Rush Tennis Podcast, focusing on price-first betting strategy, market efficiency, and transparency in sports wagering.