Sixth seed Casper Ruud halts Alexander Bublik’s spirited performance with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory under two hours on the Super Tennis Arena, setting up a third-round clash with local hope Matteo Berrettini at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
Earlier, the Italian player, making his return to action on home soil after his withdrawal from the Mutua Madrid Open due to injury, dug deep to edge Brit Jacob Fearnley, earning a 6-4, 7-6(0) win just shy of two hours on Campo Centrale at the Foro Italico.
Ruud leads Berrettini 4-3 in their head-to-head series, having prevailed over the 29th seed in three of four previous encounters on the clay surface.
Following a tricky start to the season, Norway’s No. 1 recently found his groove on a surface where he has captured 12 of his 13 ATP titles, including his maiden Masters 1000 crown, achieved in Madrid last Sunday.
By overcoming the talented Kazakhstani player, Ruud extended his winning streak to seven matches in his opening round at the Italian tournament, where last year he experienced an early exit at the hands of Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.
Before claiming the biggest title of his career, his first at the Masters 1000 level, the sixth seed made it through the quarterfinals in Barcelona, falling to eventual champion Dane Holger Rune.
The confidence boost results come in the lead-up to the French Open, a crucial time for the world number seven, who finished runner-up at Roland Garros in 2022 and 2023.
Meanwhile, Berrettini delighted the Italian fans in his first appearance at the event since 2021, roaring to victory after surviving the stern test posed by the in-form British player at a career-high world No. 57.
An electric atmosphere took over the main stadium as the former world number six fought back from a 3-5 deficit in a dramatic second set.
The Roman native converted a clinical break in the ninth game when his opponent served for the set, saving set points before inching ahead, ultimately forcing a tiebreak he dominated from start to finish.
Elsewhere, American Marcos Giron stunned countryman Taylor Fritz 7-6(4) 7-6(3), clinching a maiden Top 5 win on the red clay.
Also, continuing his run of form, Fabian Marozan shocked 16th seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and 22 minutes, advancing to the next round.
On Thursday, the Hungarian player toppled Brazilian Joao Fonseca in straight sets, ending the 18-year-old’s debut run at the venue.
Next, the world No. 61 will face off against Miami Open champion and 20th seed Jacub Mensik, who survived a spirited performance by world No. 164 Matteo Gigante to come out on top 7-6(4), 7-5 in one hour and 42 minutes.
Yet to come is the much-anticipated return to action of world number one Jannik Sinner, playing his first match on court in three months against Argentine Mariano Navone.
Sinner and Navone have never played one another before on tour.