Italian Open / Internazionali BNL d’Italia: Schedule, TV Coverage, History, Former Champions, Records and Stats
The Italian Open, also known as the Rome Masters or Internazionali BNL d’Italia, is a prestigious tennis tournament held annually in Rome, Italy.
It is one of the world’s most important clay court tournaments and has a rich history dating back to 1930. It is part of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and the WTA 1000 events.
The tournament is held during May on outdoor clay at the Foro Italico sports complex north of Rome. The complex was initially built in the 1920s and has been the home of the Italian Open since 1934.
It has a seating capacity of over 10,000 spectators and has hosted some of the biggest names in tennis over the years as the final lead in tournament to the French Open.
Quick Italian Open Facts
- Event Name: Italian Open / Internazionali d’Italia
- Founded: 1930
- Location: Rome, Italy
- Venue: Foro Italico, Viale del Foro Italico, 00135 Roma RM, Italia
- Surface: Red Clay (Outdoor)
- Ball: Dunlop ATP ball
- Current Men’s Champions: Daniil Medvedev
- Current Women’s Champion: Elena Rybakina
- Current Men’s Doubles Champions: Hugo Nys / Jan Zielinski
- Current Women’s Doubles Champions: Storm Hunter / Elise Mertens
- Category: ATP Masters 1000 / WTA 1000
- Draw Size: 96 Singles / 48 Qualifying / 32 Doubles
- Dates: 8-19th May 2024
- Prize Money: €7,877,020 (ATP) / €4,791,105 (WTA) – See full 2024 breakdown.
- Draw: 2024 Italian Open Draw
- Results and Highlights
2024 Internazionali BNL d’Italia Schedule
| Date | Type | Gates Open | Start | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, May 6, 2024 | Day | 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Qualification |
| Tuesday, May 7, 2024 | Day | 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Qualification & WTA Singles |
| Wednesday, May 8, 2024 | Day | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | ATP & WTA Singles |
| Wednesday, May 8, 2024 | Evening | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | ATP & WTA Singles |
| Thursday, May 9, 2024 | Day | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | ATP & WTA Singles & Doubles |
| Thursday, May 9, 2024 | Evening | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | ATP & WTA Singles |
| Friday, May 10, 2024 | Day | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | ATP & WTA Singles & Doubles |
| Friday, May 10, 2024 | Evening | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | ATP & WTA Singles |
| Saturday, May 11, 2024 | Day | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | ATP & WTA Singles & Doubles |
| Saturday, May 11, 2024 | Evening | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | ATP & WTA Singles |
Italian Open TV Coverage
| Area | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Africa/Asia 1* | beIN SPORTS Middle East |
| Latin America* | ESPN International Latam |
| Eastern Europe* | Setanta Stans |
| Australia | beIN Sports Australia |
| Belgium | Telenet (Play Sports) |
| Belgium; Luxembourg | BeTV |
| Bulgaria | A1 Max Sport |
| Canada | TSN |
| Canada (Canada Masters only) | Rogers Sportsnet (Canada Masters only) |
| China; Macao | CCTV |
Italian Open History
The tournament was initially called the “Italian Championships” and was held at the Tennis Club of Milan. The tournament’s first edition was won by American Bill Tilden, who defeated Italian player Umberto de Morpurgo in the final. The event moved to the Foro Italico in Rome in 1935, where it has been held ever since.
The Italian Open was one of the first international tennis tournaments on clay courts and has been instrumental in the popularisation of clay-court tennis across Europe, with the courts at the Foro Italico being widely regarded as some of the best in the world.
Over the years, the Italian Open has seen some of the biggest names in tennis compete for the title. One of the most successful players in the tournament’s history is Rafael Nadal, who has won the event a record ten times. Other multiple winners include Bjorn Borg, Novak Djokovic, and Chris Evert.
In addition to the leading men’s and women’s singles events, the Italian Open also features doubles competitions for both men and women. The tournament has also hosted events for juniors, seniors, and wheelchair players.
In 1969, the tournament became open to professional players. The women’s event was previously held the week before the men’s and was briefly played in Perugia before moving back to Rome and becoming a joint event for both men and women in 1987.
In recent years, the Italian Open has been a key event on the ATP and WTA tours, attracting many of the top players in the world. The tournament has been held annually except for a brief hiatus during World War II and a cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June 2022, ATP announced the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome, along with those in Shanghai and Madrid, would now be held over two weeks starting in 2023, thus becoming 12-day events just like the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.
With its rich history and the stunning location at the Foro Italico in Rome, the tournament is a must-see for any tennis fan.
Former Italian Open Winners and Runners Up
Men’s Champions
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Daniil Medvedev | Holger Rune | 7-5 7-5 |
| 2022 | Novak Djokovic (6) | Stefanos Tsitsipas | 6-0 7-6(5) |
| 2021 | Rafael Nadal (10) | Novak Djokovic | 7-5 1-6 6-3 |
| 2020 | Novak Djokovic (5) | Diego Schwartzman | 7-5 6-3 |
| 2019 | Rafael Nadal (9) | Novak Djokovic | 6-0 4-6 6-1 |
| 2018 | Rafael Nadal (8) | Alexander Zverev | 6-1 1-6 6-3 |
| 2017 | Alexander Zverev | Novak Djokovic | 6-4 6-3 |
| 2016 | Andy Murray | Novak Djokovic | 6-3 6-3 |
| 2015 | Novak Djokovic (4) | Roger Federer | 6-4 6-3 |
| 2014 | Novak Djokovic (3) | Rafael Nadal | 4-6 6-3 6-3 |
The event was not held between 1936–1949. In 1969 the Open Era started, and from 1990 onwards, the event has been part of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament category.
Women’s Champions
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Elena Rybakina | Anhelina Kalinina | 6-4 1-0 ret. |
| 2022 | Iga Świątek (2) | Ons Jabeur | 6-2 6-2 |
| 2021 | Iga Świątek | Karolína Plíšková | 6-0 6-0 |
| 2020 | Simona Halep | Karolína Plíšková | 6-0 2-1 ret. |
| 2019 | Karolína Plíšková | Johanna Konta | 6-3 6-4 |
| 2018 | Elina Svitolina (2) | Simona Halep | 6-0 6-4 |
| 2017 | Elina Svitolina | Simona Halep | 4-6 7-5 6-1 |
| 2016 | Serena Williams (4) | Madison Keys | 7-6(7-5) 6-3 |
| 2015 | Maria Sharapova (3) | Carla Suárez Navarro | 4-6 7-5 6-1 |
| 2014 | Serena Williams (3) | Sara Errani | 6-3 6-0 |
The event was not held between 1936–1949. The women’s event was played in Perugia from 1980 to 1984, and it moved to Taranto in 1985. No women’s event was held in 1986; in 1987, it moved back to Rome.
Men’s Doubles Champions
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hugo Nys/Jan Zielinski | Robin Haase/Botic van de Zandschulp | 7-5 6-1 |
| 2022 | Nikola Mektić (2)/Mate Pavić (2) | John Isner/Diego Schwartzman | 6–2 6–7(6–8) [12–10] |
| 2021 | Nikola Mektić/Mate Pavić | Rajeev Ram/Joe Salisbury | 6–4 7–6(7–4) |
| 2020 | Marcel Granollers (2)/Horacio Zeballos | Jérémy Chardy/Fabrice Martin | 6–4 5–7 [10–8] |
| 2019 | Juan Sebastián Cabal (2)/Robert Farah (2) | Raven Klaasen/Michael Venus | 6–1 6–3 |
| 2018 | Juan Sebastián Cabal/Robert Farah | Pablo Carreño Busta/João Sousa | 3–6 6–4 [10–4] |
| 2017 | Pierre-Hugues Herbert/Nicolas Mahut | Ivan Dodig/Marcel Granollers | 4–6 6–4 [10–3] |
| 2016 | Bob Bryan (4)/Mike Bryan (4) | Vasek Pospisil/Jack Sock | 2–6 6–3 [10–7] |
| 2015 | Pablo Cuevas/David Marrero | Marcel Granollers/Marc López | 6–4 7–5 |
| 2014 | Daniel Nestor (4)/Nenad Zimonjić (3) | Robin Haase/Feliciano López | 6–4 7–6(7–2) |
The event was not held between 1936–1949.
In 1960, 1965 and 1969, the men’s doubles matches were abandoned, and the title was shared, with no outright winner.
Women’s Doubles Champions
| Year | Champions | Runners Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Storm Hunter/Elise Mertens | Coco Gauff/Jessica Pegula | 6-4 6-4 |
| 2022 | Veronika Kudermetova/Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova | Gabriela Dabrowski/Giuliana Olmos | 1–6 6–4 [10–7] |
| 2021 | Sharon Fichman/Giuliana Olmos | Kristina Mladenovic/Markéta Vondroušová | 4–6 7–5 [10–5] |
| 2020 | Hsieh Su-wei (3)/Barbora Strýcová | Anna-Lena Friedsam/Raluca Olaru | 6–2 6–2 |
| 2019 | Victoria Azarenka/Ashleigh Barty (2) | Anna-Lena Grönefeld/Demi Schuurs | 4–6 6–0 [10–3] |
| 2018 | Ashleigh Barty/Demi Schuurs | Andrea Sestini Hlaváčková/Barbora Strýcová | 6–3 6–4 |
| 2017 | Martina Hingis (3)/Chan Yung-jan (2) | Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina | 7–5 7–6(7–4) |
| 2016 | Martina Hingis (2)/Sania Mirza | Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina | 6–1 6–7(5–7) [10–3] |
| 2015 | Tímea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic | Martina Hingis/Sania Mirza | 6–4 6–3 |
| 2014 | Květa Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik | Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci | 4–0 ret. |
The event was not held between 1936–1949. The women’s event was played in Perugia from 1980 to 1984, and it moved to Taranto in 1985. No women’s event was held in 1986; in 1987, it moved back to Rome.
Records
Men’s Singles Records
- Most titles: Rafael Nadal – 10
- Most finals: Rafael Nadal / Novak Djokovic – 12
- Most consecutive titles: Rafael Nadal – 3 (2005-2007)
- Most consecutive finals: Rafael Nadal – 6 (2009 -2014)
- Most matches played: Rafael Nadal – 77
- Most matches won: Rafael Nadal – 69
- Most consecutive matches won: Rafael Nadal – 17
- Most tournaments played: Nicola Pietrangelli – 22
- Highest Winning %: Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg – 93.75%
- Youngest champion: Bjorn Borg – 17 years, 11 months and two days in 1974
- Oldest champion: Bill Tilden – 38 years, two months, 18 days in 1930
- Longest final: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer 6-7(0) 7-5(5) 6-4 2-6 7-6(5) in 2006 – 57 games
- Shortest final: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer 6-1 6-3 in 2013 – 16 games
Women’s Singles Records
- Most titles: Chris Evert – 5
- Most finals: Chris Evert – 7
- Most consecutive titles: Conchita Martinez – 4 (1993-1996)
- Most consecutive finals: Conchita Martinez – 5 (1993-1997)
- Most matches played: Conchita Martinez / Serena Williams – 53
- Most matches won: Conchita Martinez / Serena Williams – 44
- Most consecutive matches won: Conchita Martinez – 24
- Most tournaments played: Lea Pericoli – 20
- Highest Winning %: Chris Evert and Margaret Court – 92.31%
- Youngest champion: Bjorn Borg – 17 years, 11 months and two days in 1974
- Oldest champion: Bill Tilden – 38 years, two months, 18 days in 1930
- Longest final: Margaret Court def. Maria Bueno 8-6 5-7 6-4 in 1962 – 36 games
- Shortest final: Iga Swiatek def. Karolina Pliskova 6-0 6-0 in 2021 – 12 games