Day Seven at the Foro Italico produced a big upset as Luciano Darderi saved four match points in a thrilling second-set tiebreak before dismissing Alexander Zverev 6-0 in the third set to reach his first Masters 1000 quarter-final.
In more good, but somewhat inevitable, news for Italian fans, Jannik Sinner continued his relentless form, tying Novak Djokovic’s record with a 31-match ATP Masters 1000 winning streak.
The young stars also kept shining, with 19-year-old Rafael Jodar becoming the first teenager to reach the Rome quarter-finals since Djokovic in 2007, while Khachanov, Rublev and Medvedev all progressed.
Day Six Italian Open 2026 Round of 16 Results
| Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Casper Ruud (23) | Lorenzo Musetti (8) | 6-3 6-1 |
| Jannik Sinner (1) | Andrea Pellegrino (Q) | 6-2 6-3 |
| Daniil Medvedev (7) | Thiago Agustin Tirante | 6-3 6-2 |
| Andrey Rublev (12) | Nikoloz Basilashvili (Q) | 3-6 7-6(5) 6-2 |
| Martin Landaluce (LL) | Hamad Medjedovic | 7-5 6-4 |
| Karen Khachanov (13) | Dino Prizmic (Q) | 6-1 7-6(2) |
| Rafael Jodar (32) | Learner Tien (19) | 6-1 6-4 |
| Luciano Darderi (18) | Alexander Zverev (2) | 1-6 7-6(10) 6-0 |
Key Match Recap
Luciano Darderi (18) def. Alexander Zverev (2) 1-6 7-6(10) 6-0
The upset of the tournament and one of the most dramatic comebacks of the year. Darderi looked dead and buried at 1-6 3-5 down but fought back brilliantly.
He saved four match points in a nail-biting second-set tiebreak (including with a clutch drop volley) before dominating the decider 6-0. The Italian crowd went wild as Darderi recorded his first Top 10 win and reached his first Masters 1000 quarter-final.
As for Zverev, it’s hard to explain what went wrong there, and we can only wait to see what type of tennis he brings to Paris over five sets, as it doesn’t seem like he will be playing Hamburg as scheduled.
Jannik Sinner (1) def. Andrea Pellegrino (Q) 6-2 6-3
Sinner stayed clinical and professional against his fellow Italian. He mixed drop shots and baseline power effectively to reach the quarter-finals.
With this win, Sinner tied Novak Djokovic’s record for the longest ATP Masters 1000 winning streak at 31 consecutive matches, and he can seemingly base how much effort he puts in based on the calibre of opponent. Too easy.
Casper Ruud (23) def. Lorenzo Musetti (8) 6-3 6-1
Ruud was far too strong for Musetti as the Norwegian barely faced any resistance against the Italian, who has been plagued by injuries of late. He advances to the quarter-finals, where he’ll face Karen Khachanov.
You’ll rarely see Ruud dominate an opponent like that as he’s usually the one behind the baseline doing most of the running, but Musetti couldn’t get on top in any of the rallies.
Rafael Jodar (32) def. Learner Tien (19) 6-1 6-4
The 19-year-old Spaniard continued his great clay court swing by reaching the Rome quarter-finals. Jodar becomes the first teenager to reach this stage in Rome since Novak Djokovic in 2007. He is now the highest-ranked teenager in the world and looks extremely dangerous on clay.
Highlights
Italian Open 2026 Day 8 Quarter Final Matches
- Casper Ruud (23) vs Karen Khachanov (13)
- Rafael Jodar (32) vs Luciano Darderi (18)