Tennis acca tips for Sunday, May 12: Novak Djokovic to respond after Rome bottle incident

Novak Djokovic has taken a bottle-throwing incident in his stride and returns to the court in Rome on Sunday.

Djokovic headlines the action at the Foro Italico on Sunday afternoon when he faces Alejandro Tabilo.

Here we make our picks for a handful of Italian Open matches on Sunday 12 May. 

 

ATP Rome: Novak Djokovic vs Alejandro Tabilo | Pick: Djokovic

ATP Rome: Taylor Fritz vs Sebastian Korda | Pick: Fritz

ATP Rome: Ben Shelton vs Zhizhen Zhang | Pick: Shelton

ATP Rome: Alexander Zverev vs Luciano Darderi | Pick: Zverev

WTA Rome: Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Jelena Ostapenko | Pick: Ostapenko

WTA Rome: Victoria Azarenka vs Mayar Sherif | Pick: Azarenka

WTA Rome: Danielle Rose Collins vs Caroline Garcia | Pick: Collins

WTA Rome: Elina Svitolina vs Anna Kalinskaya | Pick: Svitolina

 

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ATP Rome: Novak Djokovic vs Alejandro Tabilo

Alejandro Tabilo is enjoying his best season yet but will be tested to the extreme when he takes on world number one Novak Djokovic for the first time.

Tabilo has yet to defeat a top-ten player in his ATP Tour career and he now comes up against the top player in the world.

Djokovic was struck by a bottle after signing autographs after his last match but seems to have taken the incident in his stride.

Djokovic can extend his lead at the top of the rankings if he can go all the way in Rome.

 

ATP Rome: Taylor Fritz vs Sebastian Korda

Americans Taylor Fritz and Sebastian Korda will clash for only the second time in their careers.

Coincidentally, their last meeting was also on clay and came in Monte Carlo, two years ago.

Fritz won that encounter and will be the favourite to repeat that feat after a great run in Madrid.

Fritz put in his best clay court performance last week, reaching the last four before losing to eventual champion Andrey Rublev.

 

ATP Rome: Ben Shelton vs Zhizhen Zhang

Ben Shelton will be out to extend his lead over Zhizhen Zhang in the second ATP Tour clash between the players.

Shelton won a five-setter when these players met at the Australian Open and he should be able to best his Chinese rival.

Zhang is yet to drop a set in Rome having breezed into the third round but faces his toughest test here.

Shelton has only lost once on clay all season and won the title in Houston before joining the European section of the swing.

 

ATP Rome: Alexander Zverev vs Luciano Darderi

World number five Alexander Zverev will be out to extinguish the hopes of Argentina's Luciano Darderi in Rome.

This will be the first meeting between these players on the ATP Tour.

The Argentine has battled through two tough encounters that amount to almost five hours on court.

Meanwhile Zverev eased past Aleksandar Vukic in his opener in quick time.

 

WTA Rome: Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Jelena Ostapenko

Jelena Ostapenko may have the edge over Sara Sorribes Tormo in the WTA Rankings but she has lost both of their head-to-head clashes.

Ostapenko, a former French Open champion, has no trouble playing on clay but her Spanish opponent has had her number in recent times.

With good form behind her, Ostapenko appears to be well-placed to get on the board in the rivalry.

Both players reached the last 16 in Madrid and this will be a great matchup between contrasting styles.

 

WTA Rome: Victoria Azarenka vs Mayar Sherif

Egyptian number one Mayar Sherif takes on Victoria Azarenka for the first time in her career in Rome on Sunday afternoon.

Sherif upset Jasmine Paolini in the previous round but will have her hands full trying to eliminate another seed.

Azarenka came through a tough opener against Magda Linette but looked close to her best at times during that match.

Sherif will need to dig deep to find enough quality to beat a former Grand Slam winner and world number one.

 

WTA Rome: Danielle Rose Collins vs Caroline Garcia

Danielle Collins vs Caroline Garcia ranks as one of the matches of the day in Rome.

It will be the fifth time these players contest a head-to-head singles clash with Collins holding a dominant 4-0 record.

Garcia will want to arrest her slide down the rankings and this match could be a turning point for her in that quest.

Collins has had an incredible season so far as she prepares to bid farewell to the tour and she won't want to go out cheaply.

 

WTA Rome: Elina Svitolina vs Anna Kalinskaya

Elina Svitolina meets Anna Kalinskaya for the first time in a clash of seeded players in the Round of 32.

Both players breezed through their opening encounters in some style but something will have to give as they chase a last 16 place.

They have both had limited roles over the clay swing and struggled for form.

However, this match presents a chance to build some momentum as we head towards the French Open.