Tirante ends Cobolli’s home run as Rome closes its third-round programme
Thiago Tirante (No 69) ended Flavio Cobolli’s home run at the Foro Italico in the night’s closing match, the Argentine controlling proceedings for a 6-3, 6-4 win over the Italian No 10 seed in an hour and 18 minutes. Tirante has now beaten Norrie and Cobolli on the way to a first Masters 1000 round of 16.
Thiago Agustin Tirante, Rome 2026 | © Foto FITP
The Argentine Thiago Tirante, the world No. 69, knocked Italian No. 10 seed Flavio Cobolli out of the Rome ATP Masters 1000 with a 6-3, 6-4 win in the last match of the third-round programme, the 24-year-old delivering a near-perfect performance on a deflated Campo Centrale.
Tirante, who had already taken out No. 17 seed Cameron Norrie in the second round, never let the Italian into the rhythm of a clay match. He broke Cobolli with a forehand winner in the eighth game of the opening set, then sealed the second with a love break in the seventh game on the back of a long, attritional rally won at the net. The match lasted an hour and 18 minutes.
Cobolli, a champion in Acapulco and a finalist in Munich earlier this season, struggled where he can least afford to – on serve. He landed just 50% of his first deliveries and won 54% of points behind them, while piling up 26 unforced errors. The home crowd inside Campo Centrale, full and willing, could not lift him into a contest.
Cobolli “very angry with his performance”
“i didn’t expect to play this badly, but it happens,” Cobolli said. “And I have to take note of it. There’s still a long way to go before I can get myself out of difficult situations, even when I’m the one putting myself there. On the other side of the net I had a very strong opponent, especially on this surface, who today played, I think, perfectly. That has to be acknowledged as well. But I’m sorry. I’m very angry with my performance.”
Tirante, who reached his career-high ranking of No. 69 earlier this year, will face the winner of Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16.
The third round closed on Monday evening in Tome. With Sinner, Medvedev, Rublev and Tirante locked in alongside Pellegrino, Basilashvili, Llamas Ruiz, Prizmic — that’s four qualifiers — and lucky loser Martin Landaluce all still in the draw, this is an astonishing tournament so far.
ROME MASTERS 2026 — ROUND OF 32
Sinner (1) vs Popyrin : 6-2, 6-0
Pellegrino (Q) – Tiafoe (20) : 7-6, 6-1
Rublev (12) vs Davidovich Fokina (21) : 6-4, 6-4
Basilashvili (Q) – Nakashima (30) : 7-6, 6-4
Medjedovic – Navone : 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Landaluce (LL) vs Bellucci : 6-4, 6-3
Tirante – Cobolli (10) : 6-4, 6-4
Medvedev (7) – Llamas Ruiz (Q) : 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Musetti (8) d. Cerundolo F. (25) 7-6(7), 6-4
Ruud (23) d. Lehecka (11) 6-3, 6-4
Khachanov (13) d. Van de Zandschulp 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
Prizmic (Q) d. Humbert (31) 6-1, 7-5
Jodar (32) d. Arnaldi (WC) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
Tien (19) d. Bublik (9) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
Darderi (18) d. Paul (16) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Zverev (2) d. Blockx 6-1, 6-4
ROME MASTERS 2026 — ROUND OF 16
Sinner (1) vs Pellegrino (Q) : Tuesday
Rublev (12) vs Basilashvili (Q) : Tuesday
Medjedovic vs Landaluce (LL) : Tuesday
Tirante vs Medvedev (7) :Tuesday
Musetti (8) vs Ruud (23) : Tuesday
Khachanov (13) vs Prizmic (Q) : Tuesday
Jodar (32) vs Tien (19) : Tuesday
Darderi (18) vs Zverev (2) : Tuesday
