ignacio buse arrives in Rome with clay-court momentum and a first-round test that can measure it quickly: Lorenzo Sonego on Day 2 of the ATP Italian Open. The matchup pairs a player who has been sharp on clay this season with a home favorite at his own tournament.
Rome brings Sonego’s 10th main draw
Sonego is making his 10th ATP Rome main draw appearance, and he reached the semifinals there in 2021. That history gives him a familiar setting, but this run comes after several tournaments missed this season because of injury.
He has not looked close to his usual level, which puts added weight on the opening round in Rome. A player with that résumé can still matter in this draw, but the recent results point to a narrow margin for error against an opponent arriving in better form on clay.
Buse’s clay form in Madrid
Buse has played at a very high level on clay this season, and he nearly took out Arthur Fils in Madrid. That is the clearest reason he enters Rome as more than a routine first-round name on the schedule.
The Madrid result also gives the matchup real friction. Buse has already shown he can push a higher-profile opponent deep enough to matter, while Sonego is trying to recover the level that once carried him to the Rome semifinals.
Day 2 in Rome
The first-round meeting on Day 2 gives both players a direct read on where they stand right now. For Buse, it is a chance to turn clay-court form into a result against a home player. For Sonego, it is a test of whether his experience in Rome can outweigh the season disruption and the uneven form that has followed.
That makes the opening match one of the more revealing ones in Rome: one player bringing form, the other bringing venue history, and both needing the kind of start that can set the tone for the rest of the week.
