Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old Spanish tennis prodigy, is set to make his return to the clay courts of the Foro Italico for the 2025 Italian Open, and his first opponent has been confirmed: Serbian veteran Dusan Lajovic. The world No. 3, who missed the Madrid Open due to a right adductor injury sustained in the Barcelona Open final, is eager to rediscover his rhythm in Rome, a crucial stop on the road to Roland Garros. This second-round clash, scheduled for Friday, marks Alcaraz’s third career appearance at the tournament, where he hopes to surpass his previous best—a third-round exit in 2023. With a favorable draw and a shot at reclaiming the No. 2 ranking, Alcaraz’s Rome campaign carries high stakes.
Lajovic, a 34-year-old qualifier ranked No. 64, earned his spot in the main draw with a commanding 7-5, 6-1 victory over Yoshihito Nishioka in the qualifiers. The Serbian is no stranger to Alcaraz, having faced him four times, all ending in defeat. Their most recent encounter came at the 2023 Madrid Open, where Alcaraz triumphed 6-2, 6-4. “It’s not the way I would have wanted to start, facing Carlitos again,” Lajovic said, acknowledging the challenge of taking on the four-time Grand Slam champion. Despite the 4-0 head-to-head deficit, Lajovic’s clay-court experience and recent form make him a tricky opponent. His 2023 Rio Open title and consistent baseline play could test Alcaraz, especially as the Spaniard shakes off rust from his injury layoff.
Alcaraz’s 2025 season has been a blend of brilliance and setbacks. He kicked off the year with a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open, falling to Novak Djokovic in four sets. A triumphant debut at the Rotterdam Open followed, where he claimed his first indoor hardcourt title by defeating Alex de Minaur. His clay season began spectacularly at the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he overcame a first-set loss in three of his five matches to clinch his sixth Masters 1000 title, defeating Lorenzo Musetti in the final. “I am really happy to win Monte-Carlo for the first time. It has been a really difficult week with a lot of difficult situations,” Alcaraz said, reflecting on his resilience. However, a straight-sets loss to Holger Rune in the Barcelona Open final, coupled with injuries to his right adductor and left hamstring, forced him to withdraw from Madrid, raising concerns about his French Open preparation.
Rome offers Alcaraz a chance to regain momentum. As the No. 3 seed, he received a first-round bye, and his projected path includes potential clashes with Alex Michelsen or Laslo Djere in the third round, Grigor Dimitrov or Karen Khachanov in the fourth, and Jack Draper or Rune in the quarterfinals. A semifinal run could pit him against Alexander Zverev or Musetti, with a final against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner looming as a blockbuster possibility. Crucially, reaching the semifinals would guarantee Alcaraz the No. 2 ranking, overtaking Zverev, who must defend his 2024 Rome title. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I think that I will be fine for Roland Garros, and I am going to try to be there for Rome,” Alcaraz said during his Madrid withdrawal press conference, signaling his determination to compete.
The Italian Open, the final clay-court Masters 1000 event before the French Open, is a proving ground for Alcaraz. His lone prior appearance in 2023 ended with a shocking loss to qualifier Fabian Marozsan, a reminder of the tournament’s unpredictability. Now fully recovered, Alcaraz has been training intensely in Murcia, with footage showing him hitting with confidence under the watchful eye of coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. Fans on social media are buzzing, with one post declaring, “Carlitos is back! Lajovic won’t be easy, but Alcaraz is ready to dominate in Rome.” As he steps onto the clay against Lajovic, Alcaraz carries the weight of expectations—but also the charisma and talent to turn Rome into his stage.
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