2024 Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy - Masters 1000

[kskate2]

DATE: May 8 - 19, 2024
SURFACE: Clay
PRIZE MONEY: €7,877,020
FIELD SIZE: 96
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Daniil Medvedev

Seeds:
1. Novak Djokovic
2. Daniil Medvedev
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Andrey Rublev
5. Casper Ruud
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas
7. Hubert Hurkacz
8. Grigor Dimitrov
9. Alex de Minaur
10. Holger Rune
11. Taylor Fritz
12. Ben Shelton
13. Ugo Humbert
14. Tommy Paul
15. Alexander Bublik
16. Karen Khachanov
17. Sebastian Baez
18. Felix Auger-Aliassime
19. Adrian Mannarino
20. Francisco Cerundolo
21. Nicolas Jarry
22. Frances Tiafoe
23. Tallon Griekspoor
24. Sebastian Korda
25. Tomas Martin Etcheverry
26. Lorenzo Musetti
27. Cameron Norrie
28. Mariano Navone
29. Alejandro Tabilo
30. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
31. Arthur Fils
32. Jordan Thompson

The Tournament:

The Italian Open, originally called the Italian International Championships, is a tennis tournament held in Rome, Italy. It is one of the most important clay tennis tournaments in the world with the men's competition being an ATP Tour Masters 1000 event on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour, and the women's competition technically being a WTA 1000 event on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tour. The two events were combined in 2011. The tournament is played on clay courts, currently during the second week of May. The event is also known as the "Rome Masters" for male edition, as well as sponsored name "Internazionali BNL d'Italia". Rafael Nadal has won the men's singles title a record ten times.

About Rome:

Rome is the capital city of Italy. It is also the capital of the Lazio region, the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, and a special comune named Comune di Roma Capitale. With 2,860,009 residents in 1,285 km2 (496.1 sq mi), Rome is the country's most populated comune and the third most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. The Metropolitan City of Rome, with a population of 4,355,725 residents, 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. Vatican City (the smallest country in the world) is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city. Rome is often referred to as the City of Seven Hills due to its geographic location, and also as the "Eternal City". Rome is generally considered to be the "cradle of Western civilization and Christian culture", and the centre of the Catholic Church.

Tourism Guide:

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rome Update,
OUT: Lehecka ( lower back injury)
IN: Berrettini ( freeing up a wild card for Napolitano)

 

[kskate2]

The Draw:

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Rafa has a very favorable draw. I like his chances to go far here.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rafa has a very favorable draw. I like his chances to go far here.

Really?
R1 Zizou Bergs Q
R2 Hubi
R3 Etchevery/Seyboth Wild
R4 Baez/Rune
QF Medvedev/Paul
SF Tsitsipas/Ryublev
F Djokovic/ Ruud/Dimitrov/Rublev

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rome Update:
OUT: Wawrinka ( wrist injury)
IN: Moutet ( LL will play against Safiullin)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Wild Cards,
Fabio Fognini
Guilo Zeppier
Matteo Gigante
Andrev Vavassori
Stefano Napolitano

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Projected QFs by seedings,
(1) Djokovic vs Ruud (5)
(3) Zverev vs Dimitrov (8)
(6) Tsitispas vs Rublev (4)
( 7) Hurkacz vs Medvedev (2) Defending champion.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

For the first time in 16 months Djokovic and Nadal will play in the same tournament, last time was AO 2023

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Good to see Diego Schwartzman ( who will be retiring early next year) qualifies to the main draw and will pay at least another match at the Italian Open

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Really?
R1 Zizou Bergs Q
R2 Hubi
R3 Etchevery/Seyboth Wild
R4 Baez/Rune
QF Medvedev/Paul
SF Tsitsipas/Ryublev
F Djokovic/ Ruud/Dimitrov/Rublev

I think he drew the best possible quarter. I don't see anyone who could really trouble Rafa until R4 with Rune. There are certainly worse draws than this. I mean, he could have drawn the Djokovic/Ruud quarter.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I think he drew the best possible quarter. I don't see anyone who could really trouble Rafa until R4 with Rune. There are certainly worse draws than this. I mean, he could have drawn the Djokovic/Ruud quarter.

Lets see if he can get past Hubi first, Rafa will have to be 'on' in his return game, as Hubi has one of the best serves currently in the ATP and he must move the Pole around the court.I am still out with Rafa's serve, it lets him down when needed.

 

[El Dude]

Lets see if he can get past Hubi first, Rafa will have to be 'on' in his return game, as Hubi has one of the best serves currently in the ATP and he must move the Pole around the court.I am still out with Rafa's serve, it lets him down when needed.

Yeah, that was my thought. Even on clay, Hubert Hurkacz is not the guy Rafa wants to meet in the second round - not where he's at currently. That match should tell us a lot.

As an aside, if Rafa goes out early, what does he do in preparation for Roland Garros? Does he head to Lyon or Geneva to get more matches in? I mean, at this point winning Rome is less important than just getting in some matches before the big one.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Yeah, that was my thought. Even on clay, Hubert Hurkacz is not the guy Rafa wants to meet in the second round - not where he's at currently. That match should tell us a lot.

As an aside, if Rafa goes out early, what does he do in preparation for Roland Garros? Does he head to Lyon or Geneva to get more matches in? I mean, at this point winning Rome is less important than just getting in some matches before the big one.

Rafa did say he will see how he goes in Rome before making up his mind if he plays RG? , Rafa wants to be competitive at RG, if Rafa does go out early in Rome, will he be true to his word and will not play at RG.
Rafa has to also realize he has not played on clay since 2022? he does need more match play on clay.
I guess we will have to wait and see how he performs in Rome, and if he goes out early will he play Lyon or Geneva to get much needed matches

 

[Moxie]

Yeah, that was my thought. Even on clay, Hubert Hurkacz is not the guy Rafa wants to meet in the second round - not where he's at currently. That match should tell us a lot.

As an aside, if Rafa goes out early, what does he do in preparation for Roland Garros? Does he head to Lyon or Geneva to get more matches in? I mean, at this point winning Rome is less important than just getting in some matches before the big one.

The problem with Rafa's ranking is that he's going to see people he doesn't want to see early. I do think his draw isn't terrible, but Hubi is a very possible speed bump.

Should he take out Rafa, I'm torn about what Nadal should do to prepare for RG. The conventional wisdom is that he needs play to feel confident, but I'm not sure he thinks like that any more. Play, or rest? I think, rest.

 

[kskate2]

If he goes out early I don't think he should play anymore. He's played about 7-8 matches on clay. That's a really good number compared to zero. With that sample size, he should rest up because he will need it going to RG where he has to play 3 sets min.

 

[kskate2]

Order of Play, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

 

[Moxie]

Young Mensik in action right away. Let's see if he gets out of the first round. Fognini v. Evans on the show court at night. Speaking of those @El Dude and Margaret are discussing for retiring this year, on the ATP news thread...is this the last year for Fognini, too?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Young Mensik in action right away. Let's see if he gets out of the first round. Fognini v. Evans on the show court at night. Speaking of those @El Dude and Margaret are discussing for retiring this year, on the ATP news thread...is this the last year for Fognini, too?

Fabio has been battling injuries of late and having to withdraw from challenger events, he was given a WC for Rome, he is 36 yo, it would not surprise me if he does retire this year

 

[lomaha]

Young Mensik in action right away. Let's see if he gets out of the first round. Fognini v. Evans on the show court at night. Speaking of those @El Dude and Margaret are discussing for retiring this year, on the ATP news thread...is this the last year for Fognini, too?

Well that didn't end well. Mensik out in 2 sets.