Daniil Medvedev’s clay-court season has been a rollercoaster—and he just hit the jackpot at the Italian Open without even swinging a racket.

The Russian star has been searching for form on the dirt ahead of the French Open, but his 2025 clay swing got off to a rocky start. He suffered a shocking 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Matteo Berrettini in the first round of Monte-Carlo, then managed only two wins in Madrid before falling to Flavio Cobolli in the fourth round. Not exactly the momentum he was hoping for.

But Rome could be where things turn around. Medvedev is a former champion here, having lifted the trophy in 2023, and he’s hungry to reclaim the title. His path just got a whole lot smoother.

Originally scheduled to face Tomas Machac in his opening match, Medvedev got a walkover after Machac withdrew due to illness. That means he advances straight into the third round without breaking a sweat—just one win away from matching his fourth-round finishes of the past two years.

In the third round, Medvedev will face fellow Russian Aslan Karatsev, a player he has dominated in all five of their previous meetings, including a straight-sets win at last year’s Italian Open. If he gets past Karatsev, things stay favorable: he holds a perfect 3-0 record against Joao Fonseca and has beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime in six of their seven encounters.

Looking further ahead, a potential quarterfinal clash with Andrey Rublev looms. The two Russians have met 11 times since 2021, with Medvedev holding a commanding 8-3 edge in their head-to-head. Meanwhile, top seed Jannik Sinner will begin his campaign against either Corentin Moutet or Mariano Navone, with a likely meeting against Miomir Kecmanovic in the second round.

For Medvedev, this Italian Open might just be the fresh start he needed. A little luck, a favorable draw, and a former champion’s confidence—could this be the spark that ignites his clay season?