Karen Khachanov frames Musetti-Cerundolo third round at Rome
karen khachanov is not on court in Rome, but Lorenzo Musetti is back in the 2026 Italian Open draw and will face Francisco Cerundolo in the third round on Sunday, May 10. The match sits inside the Rome Masters 1000 and gives Musetti another chance to build on last year’s run to the semifinals.
Lorenzo Musetti in Rome
Musetti reached this stage by beating Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard in the second round of his home tournament. That win kept him moving through a section that has already narrowed to a direct meeting with Cerundolo, who advanced by defeating Chilean Alejandro Tabilo.
The pairing is set for the third round, with the start time still to be determined. For readers tracking the tournament schedule, that means the matchup is fixed for Sunday, May 10, but the order of play has not been assigned yet.
Cerundolo and the head-to-head
The history between them gives this match a clear edge. Musetti and Cerundolo have met four times, and the record is tied at 2-2, which leaves the Rome meeting as the kind of round that can tilt a tight rivalry one way or the other.
Cerundolo also won their last meeting in straight sets in the Davis Cup playoffs. That result is the most recent reference point between the two, and it raises the standard Musetti has to meet at home if he wants to move through another round in front of an Italian crowd.
Sky Sport coverage
The match will be shown live on Sky Sport, with streaming available on the SkyGo app and on NOW. That gives viewers three ways to follow the third-round match once the schedule is set, and it keeps the focus on a duel that already carries both recent form and an even head-to-head record.
For Musetti, the immediate task is straightforward: handle Cerundolo and keep his 2026 Italian Open run alive after reaching the semifinals last year. For anyone planning to watch, the only detail still pending is the exact start time on Sunday.
