Novak Djokovic vs Casper Ruud Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Italian Open

Prediction published on 13/05/2022, 17:20  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 14/05/2022 at 05:48 in Tennis Predictions

Novak Djokovic will end the Rome Masters still the world number one. His straight sets quarter final win over Felix Auger-Aliassime confirmed that he'll be above Daniil Medvedev. He now takes on fifth seeded Casper Ruud with the winner up against either Alexander Zverev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. Djokovic is yet to win a title this year. His only final was in the Serbia Open, when losing to Andrey Rublev. Djokovic has won the Rome Masters five times with his last success coming in 2019. Before this year he's won three titles, lost four finals and been beaten in one semi-final in the last eight appearances. Only once in the last nine times he's played this event has Djokovic failed to reach the final. He's yet to lose a set this week and is gradually building towards the form that could see him win here and at Roland Garros.

Casper Ruud began the week ranked tenth and that's three places lower than the start of the year. He's up to eighth in the live rankings and a win over Djokovic can get him back up to seventh. Ruud has already won one clay court tournament, being successful in Buenos Aires in February. He also made the Indian Wells final, losing to Carlos Alcaraz but beating Alexander Zverev on his way to the final. He's had more success in recent weeks with quarter finals in Barcelona and Munich. This week has gone well too with wins over Bota van de Zandschlup (after losing the first set), Jenson Brooksby and 15th seeded Denis Shapovalov. He's met Djokovic on two previous occasions and lost them both. One was at this stage in the 2020 Rome Masters. He lost that in straight sets and then lost again to him in the ATP Tour finals last year. Back Djokovic to get a third win in Italy over Ruud.