The Internazionali BNL d'Italia draw ceremony delivered its verdict on Monday morning, handing Jannik Sinner a favourable path. The world number one, chasing the Career Golden Masters on home soil, lands in the top half of the draw, opposite Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev.
Sinner will open against the winner of Alex Michelsen versus Sebastian Ofner. A potential third-round clash with Jakub Mensik, one of only two players to beat him in 2026, represents the first real test. The Italian boasts a 30-2 record this season and has won five consecutive Masters 1000 titles.
In the bottom half, Djokovic returns from injury. The 38-year-old Serb is drawn in the same quarter as eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti, the Roman crowd favourite, alongside Jiri Lehecka and Casper Ruud. A potential Djokovic-Zverev semifinal looms, pitting the Madrid champion against the 24-time Grand Slam winner.
The field has been significantly weakened by the withdrawals of Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper and Holger Rune. The absence of the world number two opens a clear path in Sinner's section, though he has never won the title in Rome. While the draw looks favourable, the pressure of making history at home could weigh on the 24-year-old's shoulders. Main draw action begins on Tuesday.
