Mon May 12 18:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Rome Masters: Ruud Favored Against Berrettini, Machac Expected to Upset Paul

**Rome, Italy (May 11, 2025)** – The Rome Masters third round continues Monday with two intriguing matchups. Casper Ruud, fresh off his Madrid Masters 1000 title victory, faces crowd favorite Matteo Berrettini, while American Tommy Paul takes on Tomas Machac.

Despite Berrettini’s strong clay-court record and past wins against Ruud, the Norwegian, currently ranked world No. 7, is considered the favorite due to his recent form and superior clay-court prowess. While their head-to-head record is close (Ruud leads 4-3), analysts predict a Ruud victory in three sets.

The second match pits Paul against Machac. While Paul is the more experienced player, his game is less suited to clay, a surface where he lacks a title and has a sub-.500 career record. Machac, though also not a specialist on clay, holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over Paul, making him the slight favorite according to the preview. Both analysts predict a Machac win in three sets.

Read More