Jannik Sinner advanced to the last 16 of the Italian Open on Monday with a dominant 6-4, 6-2 win over lucky loser Jesper de Jong in front of an ecstatic crowd in Rome.

World number one Sinner continued his comeback at the Foro Italico following a three-month doping ban, defeating De Jong to set up a showdown with Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the next round.

The last time Sinner played here, in 2023, he was knocked out in the last 16 by Cerundolo, and he is under no illusion that the 17th seed will present a much tougher challenge after two relatively straightforward matches.

“Let’s see, he’s an amazing player, he’s had an amazing season so far,” said Sinner of Cerundolo.

“It’s going to be tough. For sure, I have to raise my level... It’s going to be a good challenge, a good test for me, and we’ll see how it goes.”

Over 10,000 fans packed the centre court stands, hoping Sinner can end a 49-year wait for an Italian winner of the men’s title in Rome.

However, Monday’s win was more of a warm-up for the 23-year-old, who has set his sights on arriving at the French Open in top form.

De Jong, ranked at a career-high 93rd in the world, put up some resistance in a low-key contest, but Sinner showed signs of rustiness. After throwing away a three-game lead when 4-1 up in the first set, he eventually regained control of the match and saw it out with minimal trouble. De Jong also sustained a wrist injury in a fall during the fourth game of the second set, which hindered his performance.

Sinner’s compatriot Jasmine Paolini also enjoyed a smooth passage into the women’s quarter-finals, defeating Jelena Ostapenko 7-5, 6-2 in straight sets.

The sixth seed Paolini will face Diana Shnaider in the last eight, as she aims for another deep run in a 1000-series tournament following her semi-final appearance in Miami, where she lost to world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who later faces Marta Kostyuk.

Matteo Berrettini will follow Sinner on court in a tough clash against sixth seed Casper Ruud, as the home crowd hopes for a hat-trick of victories for their local heroes.

Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka’s struggles at the top level continued with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) loss to Peyton Stearns. Stearns will face Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals after the Ukrainian defeated Danielle Collins 6-4, 6-2 in a match that lasted nearly three hours under the scorching sun.

Osaka is the latest high-profile player to fall to American Stearns, who had previously knocked out fifth seed Madison Keys in the previous round.

Former world number one Osaka has been a shadow of the player who won four Grand Slam titles. After returning last year from a 15-month break following the birth of her daughter, Osaka has struggled with injuries, including an abdominal issue that forced her withdrawal from the Australian Open. Early exits at Indian Wells and Madrid further emphasised her return to form is still a work in progress.

Osaka warmed up for Rome by winning a minor event in Saint Malo earlier this month, but she has not progressed past the last 16 in any tournament above the WTA 125 series since losing in the Auckland final in January.

Coco Gauff made quick work of Britain’s Emma Raducanu, winning 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour to reach the last eight, where she will face either Mirra Andreeva or Clara Tauson.

Italy to Begin BJK Cup Defence Against China

Italy will begin their defence of the Billie Jean King Cup with a quarter-final against hosts China in September, following the draw in Shenzhen on Monday. Should they win, Jasmine Paolini’s team, who triumphed in the women’s team event last year by defeating Slovakia in the final in Malaga, will face either Ukraine or Spain in the semi-finals.

On the other side of the draw, the quarter-finals will see the United States face Kazakhstan and Japan take on Great Britain. Shenzhen will host the finals, having been moved forward from November, and will continue to do so until at least 2027.

The BJK finals are scheduled to begin on 16th September, with the final set to be played on 21st September.