2026 Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy - WTA 1000

[tented]

DATE: May 5 -17, 2026
SURFACE: Clay
TOTAL COMMITMENT: $8,312,293
FIELD SIZE: 96
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Jasmine Paolini

Seeds:

1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Elena Rybakina
3. Coco Gauff
4. Iga Swiatek
5. Jessica Pegula
6. Amanda Anisimova
7. Elina Svitolina
8. Mirra Andreeva
9. Jasmine Paolini
10. Victoria Mboko
11. Karolina Muchova
12. Belinda Bencic
13. Linda Noskova
14. Ekaterina Alexandrova
15. Naomi Osaka
16. Iva Jovic
17. Madison Keys
18. Clara Tauson
19. Diana Shnaider
20. Liudmila Samsonova
21. Elise Merterns
22. Anna Kalinskaya
23. Marta Kostyuk
24. Marie Bouzkova
25. Leylah Fernandez
26. Sorana Cirstea
27. Emma Raducanu
28. Emma Navarro
29. Maya Joint
30. Cristina Bucsa
31. Wang Xinyu
32. Hailey Baptiste

The Tournament:

The Italian Open (currently branded as the Internazionali BNL d'Italia for sponsorship reasons) is an annual professional tennis tournament held in Rome, Italy. It is played on clay courts at the Foro Italico, and is held during the second week of May. The tournament is part of the ATP 1000 events on the ATP Tour and part of the WTA 1000 events on the WTA Tour. The two events were combined in 2011.

About Rome:

Rome is the capital city and most populated comune (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special comune named Roma Capitale with a population of 2.7 million in an area of 1,287.36 km2 (497.1 mi2), Rome is the third most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. The Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, with a population of 4.2 million, is the most populous metropolitan city in Italy. Its metropolitan area is the third-most populous within Italy. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber Valley. Vatican City (the smallest country in the world and headquarters of the worldwide Catholic Church under the governance of the Holy See) is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city.

Tourism Guide:

 

[tented]

The Draw:

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The draw will take place on May 4 at 10.30am local time

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Main Draw Wild Cards,
Stefanini
Brancaccio
Bronzetti
Pigato
Grant
Treilsan
Ruggeri

 

[Kieran]

Some year, maybe next year, I’m going to go to this. Rome is my favourite place. The missus likes it too. She still brings up that we never saw Rafa play. I’d be horrified if we went this year because without Carlos there it’s lacking something.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Some year, maybe next year, I’m going to go to this. Rome is my favourite place. The missus likes it too. She still brings up that we never saw Rafa play. I’d be horrified if we went this year because without Carlos there it’s lacking something.

Just because Alcaraz isnt playing dont let that put you off, I was lucky to see Rafa play win and lose at Rome, wasnt happy when he lost to Novak, and other great players over the years, as you know Rome is a wonderful place, steeped in history, great food, sight seeing etc, what I love about the Rome tournament, all the courts have great viewing and they are going to put a roof on the main arena, also there is an area where the players pull up in their cars coming into the tournament where fans can get autographs and photos, of course there is security around so the fans dont go over board if they see one of their favourite players
Quite frankly I cant see myself ever going to my favorite GS, Roland Garros, it will never be the same for me with Rafa not there, I knew the day would come when he finally hangs up his racket, I just want to keep my memories of him, their will never be another player that ruled and won 14 GS titles at RG!
BTW Kieran we are both on the womens page for Rome lol! by accident

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Withdrawals ( so far)
Kartal
Gracheva
Kudermetova
Badosa

 

[Kieran]

BTW Kieran we are both on the womens page for Rome lol! by accident

I must be more careful, I’ll get a bad reputation

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rome has just added another main draw wild card,
Bianca Andresscu

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Projected QFs ( if the seeds hold)

Sabalenka (1) vs Anisimova (6)
Swiatek (4) vs Pegula (5)
Gauff (3) vs Andreeva (8)
Rybakina (2) vs Svitolina (7)

Quite a balanced draw with Gauff, Andreeva, defending champion Paolini with Sabalenka
Swiatek, Kostyuk, Muchova on Rybakina's half

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Interesting first round matches,

Lys vs Boulter
Putintseva vs Valentova
Kasatkina vs McNally
Cristian vs Haddad Maia
Kostyuk vs Eala
Stearns vs Tjen
Kenin vs Andreescu WC

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Good straight sets win from Andreescu WC over Kenin 64 75, gets revenge for the loss to Kenin a few weeks back in Charleston

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Marta Kostyuk Madrid champion, has withdrawn, right hip issue, Eala gets a walkover to the next round
Emma Raducanu has also withdrawn, she was practicing in Rome for a few days but she still has ongoing post viral illness and decided to withdraw. Last tournament Emma played in was IW

 

[kskate2]

not unexpected for Marta to pull out. She must be bushwhacked. She hasn't lost a match on the dirt all year, surely needs a rest.

 

[Fiero425]

not unexpected for Marta to pull out. She must be bushwhacked. She hasn't lost a match on the dirt all year, surely needs a rest.

Speaking of rest, I was shocked to see Bianca Andreescu back on the tour! I thought she was broken down & retired! Wiki says she used Challenger matches to get back up to speed! Impressive beating Kenin who's also barely hanging on after so many years on tour! She hasn't done much of anything since that surprising win "down under" in 2020 right in the middle of a Pandemic! Seems like so many years ago! Women winning "1 & done" almost predictable! The defense of a major is about as rare as they come on the women's tour!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Speaking of rest, I was shocked to see Bianca Andreescu back on the tour! I thought she was broken down & retired! Wiki says she used Challenger matches to get back up to speed! Impressive beating Kenin who's also barely hanging on after so many years on tour! She hasn't done much of anything since that surprising win "down under" in 2020 right in the middle of a Pandemic! Seems like so many years ago! Women winning "1 & done" almost predictable! The defense of a major is about as rare as they come on the women's tour!

Bianca Andresscu wasnt broken down or retired get your facts straight for starters
Bianca even as a junior suffered injuries that kept her off the tour and the same has happened in her senior year, she took some time off address her injuries and not being able to compete at her best, it took a toll on her mentally
Bianca went back to play challenger events, which is a good idea, to get match practice
If you watched her match against Kenin, she was in complete control, Kenin a tricky player at the best of times
Dont come on here and criticize womens players when you dont watch the womens tour for starters!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rain delay all present matches suspended

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Former No 10 player Haddad Maia current ranking #78 goes out again in a first round match to French player Jeanjean 76(4) 64
BTW,
Hadad Maia has a new coach Carlos Martinez Comet, who replaces her long time coach of 6 years, Rafael Paciaroni,
This is a trial coaching period, running until Wimbledon,

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Play has now resumed

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

2 remaining matches suspended due to rain again,

Waltert vs Starodubtseva
Basiletti vs Tomljanovic