The opening round of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome sees a rematch between Aleksandar Vukic and Nicolas Moreno De Alboran, just a week after their close encounter at the Estoril Challenger. On that occasion, Vukic edged out the American in a three-set battle, but with the slower, more demanding conditions of the Rome clay, this matchup has the potential to take a different turn.
Aleksandar Vukic vs Nicolas Moreno De Alboran Preview
Vukic finally put an end to his miserable ten-match losing streak last week at the Estoril Challenger, beating none other than Moreno De Alboran in a hard-fought three-setter. That run to the semifinals offered a sliver of hope for the Aussie, who desperately needed momentum after struggling even at Challenger level earlier this year.
However, it’s too early to declare a true turnaround. Vukic hasn’t won a main-draw match at the ATP level since January’s Australian Open and continues to underperform on clay, where his win record is slim. Although he does have one career victory at a clay-court Masters event — right here in Rome last year — it came against a clearly out-of-form Diego Schwartzman.
Moreno De Alboran’s 2025 campaign was derailed before it even began due to injury, but he’s showing signs of regaining his rhythm. He impressively made it through the Rome qualifiers, beating Raphael Collignon and Giulio Zeppieri — both strong clay players — which speaks volumes about his current level.
While he fell short in the main draw last year, Moreno De Alboran’s baseline game and solid movement on clay suggest he has the tools to reverse last week’s narrow loss to Vukic in Estoril. Importantly, he enters this match better acclimated to the Roman clay and physically sharper after a few quality matches under his belt.
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Place your bet on Betting Tip: Aleksandar Vukic vs Nicolas Moreno De Alboran
Aleksandar Vukic vs Nicolas Moreno De Alboran – Match Analysis
This matchup is likely to be another closely contested affair, but the dynamics tilt slightly in favor of the American. Vukic may have the power advantage, especially on serve, but Moreno De Alboran’s consistency, clay-court ability, and recent match sharpness in Rome’s conditions give him the edge.
The match could feature long baseline rallies, with Moreno De Alboran attempting to extend points and frustrate Vukic into errors. If the American can neutralize Vukic’s serve and take advantage of his slower movement on clay, especially in extended exchanges, he has every chance of gaining revenge for last week’s loss.
Betting Tip – Aleksandar Vukic vs Nicolas Moreno De Alboran
While Vukic got the better of Moreno De Alboran last week, the American had his chances in that match and pushed it to three sets despite being relatively undercooked match-wise. This time, with two solid qualifying wins behind him and greater familiarity with the court conditions in Rome, Moreno De Alboran looks primed for revenge.
Betting Tip: Nicolas Moreno De Alboran to Win
Betting Odds: 1.80
Bookmaker: Cloudbet