Andrea Pellegrino, the great surprise of Rome with a past with Sinner: "He has already destroyed me before"

Carlos Navarro | 11 May 2026 | 21.41

Andrea Pellegrino dreams, at 29 years old, of breaking the bank in Rome. In the round of 16, he will face Sinner: it is his first time in these instances. Source: Getty

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The most positive aspect of the ATP's decision to transform the Masters 1000 into two-week mega-events is hidden behind "modest" players. Those who, on paper, were not expected to receive all the spotlight. In an attempt to maximize the premium product, to ensure that the stars play what the stars should play, there is no choice but to expand the draws, generate more entries, turn a tournament like the ATP Roma 2026, into an unavoidable social event... opening the door for 'day laborers' beyond the top 100 to break in and find shortcuts to crash the VIP party.

Andrea Pellegrino is the living image of this change. With much larger draws, the qualifying rounds also offer players who are far from the top 100 elite the opportunity of their lives. Names such as Aslan Karatsev, Martín Landaluce, Valentin Vacherot, Terence Atmane... experienced it, and now a gladiator from the Puglia region, at 29 years old, is savoring the tournament that could change his entire career, especially financially.

Coming from the qualifying rounds, where he defeated Landaluce in a fervent atmosphere, Pellegrino displays an organized, solid style of play, with a weighted ball that resonates on Roman clay, amplified by the cheers of the local fans. The supporters have helped him overcome one hurdle after another, first sprinting out and benefiting from Arthur Fils' withdrawal, then defeating an Frances Tiafoe unable to handle Pellegrino's physical and intensity challenge at crucial moments. Round of 16 in a Masters 1000, an unexpected reward for a player who had never passed a Grand Slam qualifying round, a stonemason of the tennis world highly regarded in the locker room and now set to face... a certain Jannik Sinner.

This is the story and link between Pellegrino and Sinner: they have already faced each other... in a final

Yes, you read that right. Interwoven stories within paths that veered in very different directions. Back in 2019, shortly after Jannik surprised the world by winning his first Challenger in Bergamo (few had heard of him until then), the San Candido native began to master clay courts in, Santa Margherita di Pula, a frequent spot for Future tournaments, the lowest category of tennis events. You can imagine: he dominated... until he faced Andrea Pellegrino in the final, who also beat him soundly (6-1, 6-1). Seven years later, they meet again, this time at the Foro Italico.

"I remember perfectly that I took a terrible beating. I don't recall much else, except that I lost very easily. Jannik was very young and had already won his first Challenger, he was already a very strong player. What he is doing now goes beyond the norm; he is in a league of his own. Tomorrow, I will step onto the court and simply try to have fun. I haven't yet imagined how it will all be. It's going to be very exciting, playing in front of 10,000 people on Center Court, facing the strongest player in the world... it's going to be an unforgettable feeling.", expressed the Italian in the mixed zone, in emotional words captured by Ubitennis.

It will be a special moment for Pellegrino, the reward for a career of many sacrifices. Four Challengers (three of them on Italian soil) shine on his resume, although he never broke into the top 130: his sweetest form has arrived now, at 29 years old, proving that each career has its unique cooking time. His, without a doubt, has now reached the perfect boiling point, shaping an Andrea with better solutions on the court... and more aware of the beauty of the journey in this sport, focusing less on the finish line.

"After many years of experience in Challengers, you mature your way. The only premise I have always maintained is to give my all, in every match and training session. It was much harder for me to do that before, but now it's my maxim. I believe that if you give your all every day, the results will come. I don't want to give up until the end; I don't want to finish my career with regrets," Pellegrino points out, overwhelmed by emotions and not even realizing how this tournament could change his financial situation.

"The prize money? Everyone likes money, but the emotions that this tournament is allowing me to experience, the people who have come to cheer me on, all that is worth much more than any sum of money I could earn. Each person has their own path to maturity. Some reach it sooner, others take longer. There are many examples in tennis of players who reached their peak in their thirties, like Paolo Lorenzi. I'm 29, but physically I feel very young. I feel like I have many more years in my career, years in which I hope to achieve results like this,". A stonemason of tennis who has carved out his place on the stages of dreams in this sport. Will the excitement be enough to overwhelm Jannik Sinner? Tomorrow, starting at 3:00 PM, we will find out.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Andrea Pellegrino, la gran sorpresa de Roma con un pasado con Sinner: "Ya me ha destrozado antes"