Mariano Navone delivered a composed performance to beat fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in the Round of 64 at the ATP Rome Masters. The Argentine held firm in both tie-breaks and wrapped up the win in just under three hours at BNP Paribas Arena in Rome. It is a sharp result against the world No. 5, and it moves Navone into the Round of 32.

Clutch from Navone when it mattered most

Both sets went the distance, and both finished the same way: Navone winning the breaker. He took the first-set tie-break 7-4, then closed the second 7-5 to seal a straight-sets victory. The match time added up to roughly 2 hours and 54 minutes, reflecting how tight the baseline exchanges were on clay.

A seeded scalp in Rome

Auger-Aliassime entered as the No. 4 seed and sits at No. 5 in the ATP Rankings, while Navone is currently No. 41. That ranking gap did not show on the scoreboard. On a slow surface that rewards patience, Navone matched the Canadian’s power and answered in the breakers.

Scoreboard details that tell the story

The first set ran 84 minutes and ended 7-6(4). The second set stretched even longer, about 89 minutes, and finished 7-6(5). Navone served first and kept his composure in the biggest moments, which proved enough to move past one of the top names in the draw.

What this means for Navone’s Rome campaign

It is a clean start for Navone at a Masters 1000, and it sends him to the Round of 32 with confidence. With both sets decided by narrow margins, the win underlines his poise on big points. Fans can find the full set timeline and highlights on Sofascore, along with live scores across the ATP Rome Masters.