Six Italians are scheduled to compete at the Italian Open on Friday, May 8, 2026, with Lorenzo Mustetti set to open the home interest in the evening against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on the Central Court around 20:30.
Mustetti, the number 8 seed, has beaten Mpetshi Perricard in all four of their previous meetings, a run that stretches from 2024 to 2025 and includes victories at ATP 250 Stuttgart, Wimbledon, the US Open and ATP 500 Beijing. Their latest meeting gives the Italian a clear edge on paper, even as Rome’s clay and the crowd can change the feel of a match in an instant.
The rest of the Italian schedule is spread through the day. Matthew Arnaldi is set to play Alex de Minaur at 11 on BNP Paribas Arena, while Luciano Darderi meets Yannick Hanfmann at about 4:30 p.m. on the same court. Tyra Catherine Grant is due on against Victoria Mboko around 2:30 p.m., Noemi Basiletti faces Elina Svitolina around 16:00 on SuperTennis Arena and Elizabeth Cocciaretto plays Emma Navarro on Centre Court not before 19:00.
That Friday slate comes before Jannik Sinner’s debut, which is scheduled for the following day, and it gives Italian fans a full day of reasons to stay with the tournament. Mustetti’s match also carries wider reach beyond the grounds: it will be shown free-to-air on TV8 and is part of broader coverage on Sky Sport Uno, Sky Sport Tennis, Sky Go, Now and Tennis TV.
The lineup has enough local interest to keep attention moving from court to court, but Mustetti’s meeting with Mpetshi Perricard is the most consequential of the lot. A 4-0 record can look decisive until the first long rally or the first missed serve, and Rome has a way of turning familiar matchups into something less predictable.