Qualifier Andrea Pellegrino is thru to the fourth spherical of the Italian Open.
Italian qualifier Andrea Pellegrino is thru to the final 16 in Rome (Picture: Tennis TV)
Italian qualifier Andrea Pellegrino has prompted one of many largest upsets of the Italian Open up to now, taking out twentieth seed Frances Tiafoe 7-6(8) 6-1. to succeed in the fourth spherical. The world No. 155 got here via qualifying to make his main-draw debut at Masters 1000 stage, and is now via to the final 16.
Pellegrino has now greater than doubled his prize cash earnings for 2026. Thus far this 12 months, he had banked £72,470 ($98,632). And he’s assured a £79,993 (€92,470) prize cheque for reaching the fourth spherical in Rome.
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The 29-year-old qualifier can also be anticipated to return to the world’s high 130, closing in on his career-high rating of No. 125. Pellegrino beat countryman Luca Nardi on his Masters 1000 important draw debut, after which confronted fifteenth seed and up to date Barcelona Open champion Arthur Fils in spherical two.
However Fils needed to retire whereas trailing Pellegrino 0-4 within the opening set, later explaining that he felt one thing in his hip and didn’t need to take any dangers with the French Open looming. It allowed the world No. 155 to progress to the third spherical – and he’s made essentially the most of it.
Pellegrino began robust when he broke Tiafoe twice to guide 4-0, however the American got here storming again. The qualifier couldn’t convert two set factors when Tiafoe served at 3-5, they usually went to a tiebreak.
Set factors got here and went for each gamers, but it surely was the house hope who finally took the tiebreak 10-8. He carried that momentum straight into set two and solely lose yet another recreation, breaking twice extra earlier than sending himself into the final 16.
The 29-year-old dropped to the bottom in disbelief, earlier than Tiafoe got here round to hug Pellegrino and congratulate him on his victory. That is the second-biggest win of Pellegrino’s profession – he beat then-No. 19 Felix Auger-Aliassime at a Challenger final summer season – however little question one of the vital emotional.
Andrea Pellegrino surprised twentieth seed Frances Tiafoe on the Italian Open (Picture: Tennis TV)
“It’s superb. I didn’t anticipate, after I got here right here, originally of the match, I didn’t anticipate to succeed in these sorts of rounds, however I’m very glad about my recreation. I performed 5 matches and actually good stage, so I’m so glad,” Pellegrino mentioned instantly after reaching the fourth spherical on his Masters debut.
“I imply, I come from a tricky interval, I received injured on my again final month, I didn’t play a number of tournaments. I missed Monte Carlo, these tournaments, and to be right here in Rome, it’s actually particular for me and attain fourth spherical in important draw, it’s one thing particular.
“I began very nicely. Originally, I used to be enjoying superb. He wasn’t, I feel, however then I began to consider… I used to be up and I turned a bit tight, and his stage goes up, and the match was not straightforward due to the wind, additionally. The situations weren’t straightforward, however I used to be there each level, preventing each level, and I’m very glad about that.”
Pellegrino may now play the largest match of his profession, as he awaits the winner of a conflict between world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Alexei Popyrin. Whether it is countryman Sinner, it gained’t be their first assembly. The four-time Main champion beat Pellegrino 6-1 6-1 in a Futures remaining in 2019.
“Yeah, yeah, after all I keep in mind that. I feel I gained two or three video games within the remaining!” the qualifier grinned. “He has to play, I feel, no? So if I’m going to play with him, it’s going to be, after all, a extremely good match, good expertise for me. Possibly we play on Centre, the place I by no means performed, however I’m very glad.”
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