Navone stuns Auger-Aliassime 7-6, 7-6 at Italian Open; reaches Masters 1000 R3
Synopsis
Mariano Navone's breakthrough moment arrived in emphatic fashion at the Italian Open: a straight-sets dismantling of World No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime in a tie-break thriller. The Argentine's maiden top-10 scalp and first Masters 1000 third-round berth signal a player ascending fast on clay, while Auger-Aliassime's physical struggles underscore his wider clay-court crisis in 2026.
Key Takeaways
Mariano Navone defeated World No.
5 Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in the second round of the Italian Open on Saturday.
The victory marks Navone's first win over a top-10 opponent and his maiden appearance in the round-of-16 of an ATP Masters 1000 event.
Navone , ranked World No.
44 , has not dropped a set through two rounds at Rome and won his first ATP Tour title in Bucharest earlier this season.
Auger-Aliassime was hampered by leg cramps in the closing stages and holds a losing record on clay in 2026 despite reaching the Monte Carlo quarter-finals.
Navone will face the winner of Joao Fonseca vs.
Hamad Medjedovic in the third round.
Mariano Navone, ranked World No. 44, delivered the most significant victory of his career on Saturday at the Italian Open in Rome, defeating World No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in a gruelling tie-break battle to enter the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 event. The Argentine's composed performance over nearly three hours marked his maiden top-10 scalp and his debut appearance in the round-of-16 of a Masters 1000 tournament.
How the match unfolded
Navone controlled both tie-breaks with aggressive baseline play and clinical returning, forcing Auger-Aliassime into errors at crucial junctures. The Canadian, despite trailing 6-5 in the second set, mounted a spirited comeback but could not force a decider. Auger-Aliassime visibly struggled with physical conditioning in the closing stages, hampered by leg cramps that limited his mobility during key rallies.
Navone's clay-court momentum
The Argentine arrived in Rome off the back of his maiden ATP Tour title triumph in Bucharest earlier this season and has maintained his unbeaten streak at the Foro Italico, dropping no sets through two rounds. His victory over Denis Shapovalov in the opening round preceded this upset, cementing his credentials on the red dirt. The win is expected to propel him several spots higher in the live ATP rankings.
Auger-Aliassime's clay struggles
Auger-Aliassime's defeat extends a troubling pattern on clay in 2026. The Canadian has compiled a negative win-loss record on the surface this season despite reaching the quarter-finals at Monte Carlo earlier in the European swing, signalling a broader rhythm issue on slower courts that continues to haunt his campaign.
The third-round draw
Navone will face the winner of the matchup between Brazil's Joao Fonseca and Serbia's Hamad Medjedovic in the round-of-16. The upset is part of a widening pattern of top-10 exits in the men's draw at Rome, where seeding has offered diminishing protection this week.
Point of View
By contrast, exposes a deeper fragility on red dirt that no amount of Monte Carlo quarter-final runs can paper over. If the Canadian's serve cannot dominate and his legs fail him in rallies, he is vulnerable to anyone with baseline consistency. Navone has both.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Navone vs. Auger-Aliassime at the Italian Open?
Mariano Navone defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in the second round of the Italian Open on Saturday at the Foro Italico in Rome. The match lasted nearly three hours.
Is this Navone's first win over a top-10 player?
Yes, this is Mariano Navone's maiden victory over a top-10 opponent. It also marks his first appearance in the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 event.
Why did Auger-Aliassime struggle in the match?
Felix Auger-Aliassime was hampered by leg cramps late in the second set, which affected his mobility during crucial points. He also holds a losing record on clay courts in 2026 despite reaching the Monte Carlo quarter-finals.
What is Navone's ranking and recent form?
Mariano Navone is ranked World No. 44 and won his first ATP Tour title in Bucharest earlier in 2026. He has not dropped a set through two rounds at the Italian Open.
Who will Navone face in the third round?
Navone will face the winner of the third-round match between Brazil's Joao Fonseca and Serbia's Hamad Medjedovic.
