ATP Rome: Alexei Popyrin vs Carlos Taberner

ATP Rome: Alexei Popyrin vs Carlos Taberner

🧠 Form & Context

Alexei Popyrin
Popyrin’s rise into the ATP top 25 has stalled sharply in 2025. Despite entering tournaments with high seeding, he’s won just five of 15 matches this year and has failed to defend key points from last year’s Rome R16 showing. His powerful serve remains a weapon, but shot selection and clay-court rally tolerance are ongoing liabilities.

Carlos Taberner
The Spanish grinder enters in red-hot Challenger form, having recently won Madrid’s second-tier event. He’s now 11–4 on clay since April and earned a rare ATP main draw win in R1. However, his ATP-level second-round record stands at a worrying 1–11, underscoring the pressure he faces to convert lower-tier momentum into top-tier results.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Popyrin’s explosive game is more effective on faster courts, and on clay, he often struggles when extended into long exchanges. Taberner, by contrast, thrives in those conditions, deploying high-spin forehands and consistent depth to grind down opponents. The Spaniard has the advantage in surface suitability and form, but nerves could play a role if the match stays tight.

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Taberner in 3 sets. Unless Popyrin drastically raises his rally consistency, the match-up—and momentum—tilt toward the Spaniard, especially over extended clay-court exchanges.