Italian Open Tennis

Draws, dates, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, but where are Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray?

All you need to know ahead of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome including draws, dates, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek, but where are Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray?

The third clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event of the season will see the world’s best players compete at the Masters 1000 tennis tournament, held at the iconic Foro Italico.

World No 1 Novak Djokovic returns to action in preparation for the French Open, with ‘King of Clay’ Rafael Nadal hoping to continue building up to Roland Garros at the tournament where he is a 10-time champion.

Spaniard Nadal started his clay comeback in Barcelona, losing in the second round, and then played in Madrid, where he made the last 16 before losing to Jiri Lehecka in an emotional farewell.

Nadal faces Medvedev meeting as Swiatek, Rybakina kept apart

Nadal has been drawn in the same quarter of the draw as the second seed and 2023 champion Daniil Medvedev. The pair would meet in the quarter-finals, should they each reach that stage at the Foro Italico.

Nadal, who has said this will be his final appearance at the event, will face a qualifier in his first-round match in Italy, with seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz in wait, should he prevail.

Medvedev will either face Borna Coric or Jack Draper in the opening match as the 28-year-old looks to repeat his terrific run in Rome last year when he claimed his first tour-level title on clay.

Medvedev and Nadal’s potential semi-final opponents include Madrid champion Andrey Rublev, who will play against Emil Ruusuvuori or Marcos Giron in his opening match.

The 26-year-old Rublev is seeded to meet Monte Carlo winner Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals, but first may have to battle past a home favourite, Matteo Berrettini or Matteo Arnaldi, in the fourth round.

No. 1 Novak Djokovic will take on Roman Safiullin or a qualifier in his first competitive appearance since Monte-Carlo last month. The six-time champion in Rome could meet Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals, with Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov also in the top half of the draw.

Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, former two-time champion Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber make up a strong women’s draw.

Swiatek is on the opposite half of the draw to No 4 and defending champion Rybakina.

The No 1 seed is projected to face No 3 Gauff in the semi-finals, while Rybakina will come up against No 2 Sabalenka at the same stage.

Katie Boulter has a first-round bye and will play Giorgia Pedone or a qualifier in round two.

However, home favourite Jannik Sinner (hip), Carlos Alcaraz (forearm) and Brits Raducanu and Murray will not be taking part in the Italian capital this year. Murray has been practising on clay as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury.

Raducanu’s current plans are to compete in Strasbourg, but she is also entered into qualifying for the French Open unless she receives a wild card into the main draw.