Day 4 of the Rome Masters 1000 delivered compelling results on the ATP side. The standout performance belonged to Matteo Arnaldi, a wild card entry, who upset sixth seed Alex De Minaur.
Arnaldi came from a set down to defeat the Australian 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in a grueling 2-hour, 56-minute battle before a raucous BNP Paribas Arena crowd. The 25-year-old from Sanremo, who had fallen outside the top 100 just two weeks ago, has now won seven consecutive matches following his Challenger title in Cagliari. It was his sixth career victory over a top-10 opponent, the first since beating Djokovic in Madrid a year ago.
Alexander Zverev, the second seed, dispatched compatriot Daniel Altmaier 7-5, 6-3 on the Stadio Centrale. Last year's finalist raised his level at the crucial moments to book his spot in the third round without too much trouble.
Eighth-seeded , a crowd favorite in Rome, also advanced with a convincing 6-4, 6-4 win over big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. The Italian neutralized the service threat with sharp returns and smart play on the big points.
Arnaldi will next face young Spanish prospect Rafael Jódar in the third round, while Zverev and Musetti await their next opponents in the bottom half of the draw.
