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via Reuters

via Reuters

After having an action-packed tournament in the Spanish capital, it’s time to shift our focus to the Italian capital, Rome! The 81st edition of the Italian Open is all set to take place from 7 May and will go on till 19 May. The tournament has 96-player draws in both men’s and women’s singles. And a total of 32 doubles teams in both the men’s and women’s events. Tennis stars have already started to arrive at ‘The Eternal City’ to take part in this prestigious clay court event. But there are a few big names who are going to be a major miss in this tournament.

The main draw for the women’s tournament will take place on May 7, while the men’s event will commence on and from May 8. Home favorite Jannik Sinner (2) and world number 3, Carlos Alcaraz will be a major miss in this tournament. Apart from them, there are also quite a few names who are going to miss out on the chance to step onto the court in Rome. But at the same time, this stage will mark the return of Novak Djokovic, a six-time champion in Rome. He last played in the Monte Carlo Masters. It’ll be interesting to see if he can bring back his fortunes for this year, starting from the Italian Open. There’s a lot at stake for these tennis stars in Rome this time around!

Prize money breakdown of the Italian Open

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It’s one of the three ATP Masters 1000 events on clay court surfaces and also hosts a WTA 1000 event during the same week. The tournament was first held in 1930 as the Italian tennis championships but five years later it moved to Rome. There have been a lot of changes in this tournament over the years. Every year comes up with a new thing, something better than the previous! The total prize money pool for the ATP at the 2024 Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome is around $8,478,391. It is a straight 2.22% up from the previous edition. While for the WTA the total prize money is just around $ 5,509,771.

Men’s singles prize money breakdown

Winner $1,033,165
Runner-up $549,455
Semifinal $305,254
Quarterfinal $173,758
Round 4 $94,862
Round 3 $55,416
Round 2 $32,452
Round 1 $21,838
Q2 $12,678
Q1 $6,575

Women’s singles prize money breakdown

Winner $753,202.29
Finalist $392,916.75
Semifinals $207,112.44
Quarterfinals $106,739.79
Round of 16 $56,492.10
Third round $32,761.76
Second round $18,260.96
First round $11,296.71

Rafael Nadal has won the men’s singles titles 10 times in Rome. And that’s the most by any player in the history of the tournament. While American tennis legend, Chris Evert (5) leads the race with the most number of women’s singles titles at the Italian Open. Daniil Medvedev won it last time around at the men’s singles event. At the same time, Elena Rybankina did it for the women’s singles event. How will grab the titles this time around? Well, there is a lot at stake than just the prize money in this 94-year-old tournament.

What else is at stake at the Italian Open?

With Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz ruled out of this tournament, it’s a big chance for Novak Djokovic to grab the title here in Rome and take a giant lead over the two in the ranking lists. Aryna Sabalenka will look to take her revenge on Iga Swiatek after having been defeated by the Polish tennis star recently at the Madrid Open. Here are the points distribution for men’s and women’s singles events.

Points distribution for men’s singles

Winner1000
Runner-up650
Semi-finalists400
Quarter-finalist200
Round of 16100
Third Round50
Second Round30
First Round10

Points distribution for women’s singles

Winner1000
Runner-up650
Semi-finalists390
Quarter-finalists215
Round of 16120
Third round65
Second round35
First round10

Italian Open is not just like any other tennis tournament, it’s something more than just tennis! It gives the fans a chance to experience full-on entertainment with a combination of fashion, food, fabulous shopping opportunities, and celebrity musical performances. This is one of the most glamorous tops on the Tour.

Where is the tournament taking place exactly?

The tournament will once again be held at one of the biggest sports complexes in Italy- the Foro Italico. It’s located at the heart of Rome and the stadium is home to two iconic courts which has the capacity to hold over 10,500 spectators. Foro Italico hosted the event for the first time in 1935. But how can the fans buy tickets for the Italian Open? Well, the tickets for the 2024 Italian Open can be bought via the official tournament website. The tennis courts are right next to Rome’s Olympic Stadium and the stadium’s address is: Viale del Foro Italico, 00135 Roma RM, Italy.

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Where can the tournament be watched on television?

Well, for those who can’t travel to the stadium, do not worry! We got you covered. In the US, Tennis Channel has got the right to broadcast this prestigious clay court tournament. The draw ceremony of the competition will take place on May 6 in Rome with the women’s draw scheduled to take place from 11 am to 12 pm local time, followed by the men’s draw. Fans can watch the event live on the Italian Open’s X handle.

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Several superstars are going to step onto the court in just a few hours from now. But who’s going to ace his/her aces with The Dunlop Fort Clay Court ball and clinch the title for this season in Rome? Share your thoughts on this in the comment box.