That there are two Italian men in the singles semifinals isn’t a surprise.
That the second, after Jannik Sinner, isn’t either Lorenzo Sonego (who is injured and also will miss Roland Garros) or Flavio Cobolli is more of a shocker.
It’s Luciano Darderi, the No. 18 seed who is coming on.
Sinner meets Daniil Medvedev for te 17th time, holding a slim 9-7 career head to head against him.
They met five times in 2023, and SIX times in 2024. This will only be thir second meeting of 2026, the first being a tight two-tiebreak win by Sinner in the Indian Wells final.
Of th 16 previous meetings, on came on crass at Wimbledon in 2024. And the other 15 on hard courts. This is their first met on clay.
(Rome is six hours ahead of EDT)
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Location: Rome, Italy
Category: ATP 1000 (Joint event with the WTA Tour)
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Dates: May 6 – 17, 2026
Prize Money: €8,235,540
Draws: S96 – D32
Friday, May 15, 2026
Order of play
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Campo Centrale (1:30 p.m. start – 7:30 a.m. EDT)
1. [2] Katerina Siniakova (CZE) / Taylor Townsend (USA) vs [7] Cristina Bucsa (ESP) / Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA)
2. [18] Luciano Darderi (ITA) vs. [23] Casper Ruud (NOR) H2H (not before 3:30 p.m.)
3. [1] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs [7] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) H2H (not before 7 p.m.)
4. Mirra Andreeva / Diana Shnaider (RUS) vs Storm Hunter (AUS) / Jessica Pegula (USA) (not before 8:30 p.m.)
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Supertennis Arena
1. [1] Harri Heliovaara (FIN) / Henry Patten (GBR) vs. [7] Simone Bolelli / Andrea Vavassori (ITA)
2. [4] Christian Harrison (USA) / Neal Skupski (GBR) vs. [5] Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) / Mate Pavic (CRO)
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