Day 7 at the 2026 Italian Open brings the start of the third-round battles in Rome, where the draw begins to take proper shape, and the pressure rises across both the ATP and WTA fields. After a busy opening stretch at Foro Italico, several seeded players are already out, leaving the door open for in-form outsiders to make a deep run on the red clay.
The focus now shifts toward the biggest names left in the draw. Jannik Sinner continues to carry the spotlight as the World No. 1 looks to build momentum ahead of Roland Garros, while players like Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, and Lorenzo Musetti are trying to take advantage of a wide-open section of the men’s draw. On the women’s side, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Karolina Pliskova headline another packed day of action as the tournament moves closer to the second week.
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Some of the standout matchups on Day 7 include Alexander Zverev vs Alexander Blockx, Karolina Pliskova vs Laura Siegemund, and Jannik Sinner continuing his campaign in front of the home crowd.
Here are the predictions for Day 7 of the Italian Open 2026
#1 Alexander Zverev vs Alexander Blockx
Alexander Zverev looked far more comfortable than the scoreline suggested when these two met in the Madrid Open semifinals last week. He won 6-2, 7-5, but the match was mostly controlled through his serve and his ability to dictate from the baseline. Madrid’s quicker clay suited Alexander Blockx’s aggressive style and first serve, yet Zverev still managed to absorb the pressure well and extend rallies whenever needed.
Zverev’s experience in these conditions should matter even more in Rome. His heavier backhand and consistency off both wings make him difficult to hit through on slower clay, and Blockx is still learning how to maintain that level over back-to-back Masters events.
Pick: Alexander Zverev to win in straight sets.
#2 Karolina Pliskova vs Laura Siegemund
Karolina Pliskova picked up wins over Maria Sakkari, Elise Mertens, and Solana Sierra before losing a tight three-set match to Anastasia Potapova in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Madrid Open. She has carried that level into Rome as well, already coming through difficult matches against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and Jaqueline Cristian.
Laura Siegemund already has a good history against Pliskova from earlier meetings. She also comes into this match after a solid win over Ekaterina Alexandrova in Rome. Still, slower conditions in Rome may actually help Pliskova settle into rallies more comfortably, especially with the confidence she has built during this comeback stretch.
Pick: Karolina Pliskova to win in three sets.
#3 Elina Svitolina vs Hailey Baptiste
Elina Svitolina beat Anna Bondar 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 before losing a tight match to Aryna Sabalenka at the Madrid Open, while in Rome, she has already handled her opening rounds comfortably. She also owns a clay-court win over Hailey Baptiste from earlier in their careers.
Baptiste, though, comes into this match with serious confidence after her Madrid run, where she beat Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 after saving six match points before eventually falling to Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals.
Pick: Elina Svitolina to win in three sets.
#4 Lorenzo Musetti vs Francisco Cerundolo
Pick: Lorenzo Musetti to win in three sets.
#5 Iga Swiatek vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Pick: Iga Swiatek to win in straight sets
#6 Rafael Jodar vs Matteo Arnaldi
Pick: Matteo Arnaldi to win in straight sets
#7 Casper Ruud vs Jiri Lehecka
Pick: Jiri Lehecka to win in three sets
#8 Jessica Pegula vs Rebeka Masarova
Pick: Jessica Pegula to win in straight sets
#9 Naomi Osaka vs Diana Shnaider
Pick: Diana Shnaider to win in three sets
#10 Elena Rybakina vs Alexandra Eala
Pick: Elena Rybakina to win in straight sets
#11 Tommy Paul vs Luciano Darderi
Pick: Luciano Darderi to win in three sets
#12 Liudmila Samsonova vs Anastasia Potapova
Pick: Anastasia Potapova to win in three sets
#13 Karen Khachanov vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Pick: Karen Khachanov to win in straight sets
#14 Learner Tien vs Alexander Bublik
Pick: Alexander Bublik to win in three sets
#15 Madison Keys vs Nikola Bartunkova
Pick: Madison Keys to win in straight sets
#16 Ugo Humbert vs Dino Prizmic
Pick: Dino Prizmic to win in three sets
Edited by Adityan Pillai
