Jannik Sinner cruised into the last 16 of the Italian Open on Monday after comfortably beating lucky loser Jesper de Jong 6-4, 6-2 in front of a delighted crowd in Rome.

World No 1 Sinner continued his Foro Italico comeback from a three-month doping ban by dealing with De Jong and setting up a clash with Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the next round on Tuesday.

Sinner was knocked out in the last 16 by Cerundolo the last time he played here, in 2023, and he is under no illusions that the 17th seed will be a big step up after two low-ranked opponents.

“Tomorrow (today) will be a big day for me, because I’ll need to raise my game against him,” Sinner told reporters.

“He’s played some really good tennis recently, he got to the semifinals in Madrid and he’s playing some real tennis. He’ll be confident.”

However, Naomi Osaka’s struggle for form at the top level continued with her 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) defeat to Peyton Stearns.

In the quarterfinals Stearns will face Elina Svitolina, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Danielle Collins, after coming through an attritional match which lasted the best part of three hours on a baking centre court.

Osaka is another big name that American Stearns has beaten in Rome after also knocking out fifth seed Madison Keys in the previous round.

Former world No 1 Osaka has looked a long way from the player who won four Grand Slams.

She returned last year from a 15-month break from tennis for the birth of her daughter.