Djoko feels good

Novak Djokovic during a training session in Rome. Pic/Getty Images

Novak Djokovic said on Thursday that Carlos Alcaraz is the man to beat at the Italian Open, but reassured fans that he "feels good" after his recent elbow injury. Top seed Djokovic comes into the clay-court tournament, where he has been champion six times, braced to lose top spot in the world rankings to Alcaraz.

The flamboyant Spaniard, fresh from back-to-back clay titles in Barcelona and Madrid, just needs to play a match in the Italian capital to return to the summit ahead of the French Open which starts later this month.

‘He's the player to beat'

"He's going to be number one after this tournament and if it happens it will be deservedly so. He plays very impressive tennis, a great level. He's the player to beat on this surface no doubt," said Djokovic, who starts his title defence against Argentina's Tomas Etcheverry on Friday. Djokovic won a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January but missed the American hard-court swing in March due to his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Aryna Sabalenka

While Djokovic plots a seventh title in Rome, women's World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka's hopes of a maiden crown in the Italian capital were crushed. The Australian Open champion, fresh from a clay court title in Madrid last weekend, lost 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 to US World No. 134 Sofia Kenin. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek started her bid to win her third straight Italian Open title in perfect fashion on Friday, not dropping a game in her straight-sets thrashing of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Swiatek in exceptional form

World number one Swiatek looked in exceptional form as she demolished Pavlyuchenkova 6-0, 6-0 in just over an hour to ease her way into the third round in Rome.

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