Italian Open 2026: Expect Unexpected As Tournament Enters Second Week

William Hill tipster Sam Cox looks at the biggest matches taking place at the Italian Open on Monday, with some of the tournament favourites in action.

There have been some major scalps in the first few rounds of the Italian Open. We are set up for a fascinating second week of the tournament, with some of the world’s best players taking the court on Monday.

Italian Open Predictions Today:

• Jannik Sinner v Alexei Popyrin – Under 19.5 total games
• Andrey Rublev v Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – Fokina to win
• Iva Jovic v Coco Gauff – Both players to win a set
• Linda Noskova v Sorana Cirstea – Over 21.5 games

Linda Nosková vs Sorana Cîrstea

Here are our top tennis betting tips ahead of Monday’s key fixtures in Rome:

Jannik Sinner vs Alexei Popyrin

Wins over Jakub Menšík and Matteo Berrettini have earned Alexei Popyrin a matchup with world number one Jannik Sinner. As expected, Sinner dispatched Sebastian Ofner in emphatic fashion.

Sinner has won his last two matches against Popyrin in straight sets, including a routine win in Doha earlier this year. Popyrin has only reached the fourth round of ATP 1000 events twice since he won the Canadian Open in 2024.

This is a mismatch, as is so often the case when Sinner is involved. Popyrin could get blown away pretty quickly.

Andrey Rublev vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

Andrey Rublev has won six of his previous seven matches against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Fokina beat Rublev on the clay of Barcelona last year, however, and Rublev’s form leaves plenty to be desired.

Rublev is 2-4 across his last five ATP 1000 events. A trip to the final in Barcelona will have built some confidence, but he’s really struggled on the clay courts over the last few weeks.

Fokina has hardly been dominant of late, but his results have been better than Rublev’s. The Spaniard is good value for the win here.

Iva Jovic vs Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff came from a set down to see off Solana Sierra in the last round. Iva Jovic has already beaten two Americans in this event and will be looking to make it a hat-trick of compatriots eliminated.

Jovic reached the semi finals in Charleston before losing a hard-fought match to Jessica Pegula. In Madrid, she took Leylah Fernandez to three sets.

After reaching the final in Miami, the start to the European clay-court season has been a mixed bag for Gauff. She’s the deserving favourite, but we like Jovic to win a set here.

Linda Nosková vs Sorana Cîrstea

Coming off a stunning win over world number one Aryna Sabalenka, Sorana Cîrstea matches up with Linda Nosková on Monday. This is the fifth time these players have met and the fourth time since the turn of the year.

Cîrstea won in Dubai and Miami. Nosková was victorious at Indian Wells. The last two contests have gone the distance, and only two of the eight sets this year have had fewer than nine games.

We fancy this to go deep. Both players to win a set is definitely value, plus we like the over on total games.

*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*