The Italians Move On: Paolini and Bellucci Win Their Openers

Jasmine Paolini got past France's Leolia Jeanjean 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 in her opener, while Mattia Bellucci beat Argentina's Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-4, 6-4 in the first round: two Italian wins on the afternoon of May 7, 2026 at the Foro Italico.

Paolini, the number 9 seed, returns to Rome as defending champion after winning last year's title in the final against Coco Gauff. As a seed, she received a first-round bye, but her opening match was anything but easy: the Tuscan dropped the first set in a tie-break before finding her rhythm in the second and closing it out in the third. In the next round she will face Belgium's Elise Mertens, the 21st seed in the draw.

Bellucci, on the other hand, took authoritative control against an opponent who is typically rock-solid on clay. Two sets, both closed out 6-4, without ever giving him a way back into the match. For the second round, the bar rises significantly: waiting for him is Tomas Martin Etcheverry, the 24th seed, another Argentine and another red-clay specialist.

The day in Rome confirms a feeling that has surrounded the Internazionali ever since the Italian movement shifted in stature: the Italian flag is no longer a decorative presence in the draw, but a thread that runs through both brackets, from the seeds to the players carving out a path match after match.