Carlos Alcaraz – Laslo Djere 11-05-2025

Can Alcaraz continue his dominant form against Djere?

The third round of the 2025 Italian Open features a duel between two of the tour's most elegant and complete players as Carlos Alcaraz meets Laslo Djere. Alcaraz is coming off a comfortable second-round win, while Djere has been in form throughout the tournament. Both have shown a high level of performance on clay in the past, and this matchup is expected to offer variety, pace and tactical nuance.

Carlos Alcaraz

After sitting out Madrid with a minor arm injury, Alcaraz returned to the tour in Rome and looked sharp in a 6–3, 6–3 win over Lajovic. It wasn't an overwhelming performance, but he controlled the pace and played with few errors, exactly what you want in an opening.

Alcaraz has one of the most complete packages on the tour: extreme speed, enormous power in both forehand and backhand, and not least the ability to vary with drop shots and net attacks. On clay, these qualities are even more evident. He has won 9 of his 10 clay court matches in 2025. His only loss during this period came in the final in Barcelona against Holger Rune. This shows that Alcaraz thrives in the physical and tactical framework that the surface requires.

The question that remains is his fighting form after the injury, and whether he uses the Djere fight to play even hotter before the opposition increases in the fourth round and beyond.

Laslo Djere

Djere is a typical clay court specialist who has built his entire career on consistency from the baseline and solid physical form. He has never been a real threat in the big tournaments, but he has beaten several top 20 players on clay, and is an opponent no one likes to face early on.

He has opened strongly in Rome with wins over Etcheverry and Michelsen, both in straight sets. Especially against Etcheverry he showed variation and precision in his backhand, two things he needs at the top level. However, it is worth noting that he rarely beats players like Alcaraz. Against players ranked in the top 10, he has only one win in his last 13 attempts.

Will Djere be able to slow down Alcaraz, or will he be overtaken from the start?

The two last met in Barcelona a few weeks ago. There, Alcaraz won 6–2, 6–4 in a match that was more even than the numbers suggest. Djere hung in many duels, but was unable to put pressure on Alcaraz's serve.

The match in Rome could be similar: Djere will try to extend the points and pull Alcaraz off balance, while Alcaraz will try early pressure and net attacks. The difference lies in the pace and explosiveness, and there Alcaraz is clearly better.

Alcaraz has won both of their previous meetings in straight sets, and with the confidence he exudes on clay, it seems unlikely that Djere will be able to steal a set without help. Alcaraz has more weapons, and as long as he plays with discipline, this should be over in two sets. That's why I'm landing on this as tonight's tip;

ATP Rome at 20:30: Carlos Alcaraz - Laslo Djere: Alcaraz wins 2-0 (1.56)

Alternative games:

ATP Rome at 20:30: Carlos Alcaraz – Laslo Djere: Alcaraz -4.5 games (1.77)

ATP Rome at 20:30: Carlos Alcaraz – Laslo Djere: Under 20.5 games (1.85)