Sinner inherits Rome favourite tag after Djokovic upset, Alcaraz withdrawal

Tennis draws can open up fast — and Rome just did. Novak Djokovic lost his first match at the Italian Open on Friday, beaten 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 by Dino Prizmic, while Carlos Alcaraz had already pulled out of both Rome and Roland Garros with a wrist injury. That leaves Jannik Sinner, already the world No. 1, as the obvious center of gravity at the Foro Italico. ### What changed in Rome? The biggest immediate shift was Djokovic’s exit. He came in as a six-time Rome champion and one of the few names who could still make this feel like a crowded title race, but Prizmic flipped the match after dropping the first set and sent him out in round two. Djokovic later said he was glad he fought to the end, but the result still stands — the top half suddenly looks much less dangerous than it did a day earlier. (atptour.com) ### Why was Alcaraz already out? Alcaraz’s absence matters even more because he was the defending champion in Rome and Roland Garros. He shut down the rest of his 2026 clay season on April 24 after tests on a wrist injury, which means the player who beat Sinner in last year’s Rome final is gone before the event really gets moving. That removed the cleanest rival storyline in the draw before a ball was struck. (atptour.com) ### So why does this point straight at Sinner? Because Sinner was already carrying the strongest form on tour. He is 30-2 this season, has won all four Masters 1000 events played in 2026, and extended his run to five consecutive Masters titles by winning Madrid last week. Rome was never going to be just another stop for him, but with Alcaraz out and Djokovic gone, the field now bends even more sharply around the Italian. (atptour.com) ### What exactly is he chasing? Two things at once. First, a sixth straight Masters 1000 title — which would extend the streak he already made historic in Madrid. Second, the Career Golden Masters, meaning a title at all nine Masters events. Sinner has won nine Masters trophies overall, but Rome is still missing from the set. If he wins here, he joins Djokovic as the only man to complete that collection. (atptour.com) ### When does Sinner start? Saturday, May 9, against Sebastian Ofner in the night session on Campo Centrale. That timing matters because the tournament has now tilted toward him in a very public way — home crowd, prime slot, and a bracket that looks more manageable than it did at the draw. ### Is this just opportunity, or pressure too? Both. Sinner has been excellent in Rome before, but he still hasn’t won the event. (atptour.com) His record there is 14-6, and his best result is last year’s final loss to Alcaraz. Basically, the opening in the draw makes the title more available, but it also makes anything short of a deep run feel bigger than usual. (atptour.com) ### Who’s left to bother him? Alexander Zverev is still around, and so are dangerous names like Daniil Medvedev, Ben Shelton, Arthur Fils and Jakub Mensik. But the catch is that none of them arrive with Sinner’s current mix of form, ranking position and momentum. The tournament has not become a walkover — it has just become much more clearly his to lose. (atptour.com) ### Bottom line? Rome started with a crowded marquee. It now feels like Sinner’s tournament. The draw lost the defending champion before the start and a six-time winner on Friday. What’s left is a home favorite with a streak, a chance at history, and a lot less cover. (atptour.com 1) (atptour.com 2)