The second round of the prestigious Rome Masters is set to feature some captivating matches, highlighted by two standout encounters. On Saturday, fans can look forward to seeing Italy’s Flavio Cobolli take on Terence Atmane, alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime facing off against Mariano Navone.
Flavio Cobolli, currently ranked 12th in the world, has been making waves on the ATP tour this season. Despite sharing the spotlight with fellow Italians Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti, Cobolli has proven he can compete at an elite level. He has already made two appearances in finals this year, triumphing in Acapulco and finishing as runner-up in Munich. His recent form continued in Madrid, where he reached the quarterfinals, showcasing his ability on clay.
Cobolli’s matchup with Atmane will mark their third encounter, with both players having claimed victory in their previous meetings. Atmane, ranked 51st, surprised many with his impressive run to the semifinals at the 2025 Cincinnati Masters and has maintained a strong presence this season with solid performances, including advancing to the fourth round in Miami and the third round in Madrid. Atmane recently achieved a convincing win over Zizou Bergs, indicating he is in good form. However, Cobolli is likely to benefit from the support of the home crowd at the Foro Italico, giving him a slight edge in this contest.
In another exciting clash, Felix Auger-Aliassime, the fourth seed and currently ranked fifth in the world, will take on Mariano Navone for the second time. The Argentine player, ranked 44th, caused an upset in their previous encounter last spring on the clay courts of Munich, where he managed to claim victory in a tightly contested match. Navone has been performing well this clay season, highlighted by a title in Bucharest and most recently defeating Denis Shapovalov in straight sets.
Although Auger-Aliassime has had success on clay, the surface tends to favor his opponents more than his preferred indoor hard court. After a successful February, his form has dipped somewhat, evidenced by a 4-4 record in his last eight matches, including a fourth-round exit at Indian Wells. With Navone already acclimatized to the Rome conditions following his first-round win, he may very well pull off another upset against the Canadian.
As both matches promise to be closely contested, Cobolli is favored to edge out Atmane in a three-set battle, while Navone could potentially replicate his previous success against Auger-Aliassime in a similarly tight contest. Fans are in for a thrilling day of tennis at one of the sport’s most beautiful venues.
