RAIN impacted the latest day’s play at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, with just four of the Round of 32 matches completed, and seven Round of 64 matches wrapped up before the tournament organisers had to pull the pin on the day’s play. The only seed to book his spot through to the Round of 16 was world number one Novak Djokovic who took care of unseeded American Taylor Fritz in straight sets, 6-4 7-6.

Djokovic found the going a little simpler than his Australian Open bout with the rising United States representative, having gone to five sets back then, and only needing the straight sets on clay. He won 7-5 in the second set tiebreaker to grab the victory. Play was stopped at 5-5 in the second set due to rain, but the players ended up carrying on to complete the match before the event had to close.

“It was a very strange match with strange conditions. Obviously playing under the rain non-stop for almost two full sets, it is challenging for both me and him,” Djokovic said post-match. “I thought that I had an advantage there because the conditions were slower which allows me to return his serves, because he’s got really big serves.”

After breaking Fritz on his first opportunity of both sets, Djokovic was able to maintain control for the majority of the sets, but failed to serve out the match at 5-4 with Fritz breaking him and eventually forcing the Serbian star into a tiebreaker. The organisers temporarily called off the match – after hopes Djokovic would just serve out the game and end it – before the players returned to court three hours later.

“I kind of kept the match under my control for most part of the two sets, then served for the match; very sloppy service game,” Djokovic said. “He played well, made a great passing shot to come back. I was stressed out in the end obviously, but I think it was the right call to stop the match.”

In other Round of 32 results that were completed, eighth seed Diego Schwartzman was knocked out in sensational fashion, bowing out to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. The North American young gun won 6-1 6-3 against the clay courter to advance through to the third round, whilst Kei Nishikori did not even need to step out on court as the former Top 5 player enjoyed a walkover after 11th seed Pablo Carreno Busta pulled out of the tournament. Meanwhile United States’ Reilly Opelka won 6-4 6-4 over rising Italian young gun Lorenzo Musetti to also advance.

Across the Round of 64 results, the major winners were the top ranked Italian in Matteo Berrettini hoping to go one better than he did in Madrid, fighting past Nikoloz Basilashvili in three sets. Meanwhile 10th seed Roberto Bautista Agut and 13th seed Denis Shapovalov both won in straight sets against qualifiers. Gael Monfils and Grigor Dimitrov were not so lucky, going down to Italian Lorenzo Sonego and Spanish qualifier Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the first round. In other results, John Millman took care of Serbian Dusan Lajovic, and Brit qualifier Cameron Norrie was too good for fellow qualifier, Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.

ROME MASTERS 1000 ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) defeated Taylor Fritz (USA) 6-3 7-6
Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) defeated [8] Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 6-1 6-3
Kei Nishikori (JPN) defeated [11] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) W/0
Reilly Opelka (USA) defeated [WC] Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 6-4 6-4

ROME MASTERS 1000 ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

[9] Matteo Berrettini (ITA) defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 4-6 6-2 6-4
[10] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) defeated [Q] Tommy Paul (USA) 6-3 6-4
[13] Denis Shapovalov (CAN) defeated [Q] Kamil Majchrzak (POL) 6-1 6-3
Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) defeated [14] Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-4 5-7 6-4
[Q] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) defeated [16] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 6-4 7-6
John Millman (AUS) defeated Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 6-3 6-4
[Q] Cameron Norrie (GBR) defeated [Q] Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) 6-4 6-4

Picture: ATP Tour