Hubert Hurkacz defeated Marcos Giron 6–3, 1–6, 6–1 in the first round of the Rome Masters on clay, confirming his status as the pre-match favourite with odds of 1.5 to Giron's 2.79. The Polish player's performance was characterised by inconsistency, surrendering the second set decisively before reasserting control in the third to secure a commanding victory. Hurkacz's ability to recover after a poor middle set demonstrates the resilience required on Rome's demanding surface, though the fluctuation in performance levels will concern him ahead of deeper tournament runs. The win keeps Hurkacz on course in the Masters 1000 calendar as he builds momentum towards the clay-court season's main events.