Daniil Medvedev progressed to the third round of the Italian Open as Tomas Machac withdrew from the tournament due to illness. This withdrawal granted Medvedev a walkover, bypassing the need to play a match. Machac, ranked world No. 53, was set to face Medvedev in a significant second-round match at the Foro Italico.
The sudden change in schedule due to Machac’s withdrawal led to adjustments in the day’s matches. Andrey Rublev’s game against Miomir Kecmanovic was moved to Centre Court, while the match between Corentin Moutet and Pablo Llamas Ruiz was rescheduled to the Supertennis Arena. On Court 1, the match between Christian Garin and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was slated to start at midday.
Medvedev’s advancement through the walkover comes at a crucial time during his clay-court season. Despite recent struggles on clay, he has shown promise, winning two matches at the Madrid Open 2026. Medvedev, a former Rome champion, faces a challenging path to potentially reclaim the title this season, with tough opponents like Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev in contention.
