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The 80th edition of the Italian Open will start on May 8 and we are in for two weeks of exciting action in Rome. All the top women's players in the world will compete in this WTA 1000 tournament.
Iga Swiatek is the defending champion, having defeated Ons Jabeur in last year's final. The Pole will aim to win the competition for the third successive year and has a fair chance of doing so. However, the likes of Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, and Elena Rybakina are capable of challenging her for the title.
On that note, here is everything you need to know about the Italian Open 2023.
What is the Italian Open?
The Italian Open is the final clay-court WTA 1000 tournament on the tennis calendar. The inaugural edition of the competition took place in 1930, with Lili Alvaraz winning it by beating Lucia Valerio in the final.
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Chris Evert has won the Italian Open five times, which is more than any other woman. Other players who triumphed at the tournament include Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, and Maria Sharapova.
Venue
The Foro Italico in Rome will be the venue for the Italian Open 2023. The stadium has a seating capacity of 10,500.
Players
Defending champion Iga Swiatek will enter the Italian Open as arguably the biggest favorite to win given her dominant run of form. The Pole has been a menace for almost all of her opponents over the past 12-14 months and there is a fair chance she could triumph in Rome for the third consecutive year.
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka has also produced some terrific performances so far this season and seems a lot more composed on court. The Belarusian will also be a title contender and it won't be much of a surprise if she comes out on top.
The likes of Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur, and Maria Sakkari are all capable of having a good run in the Italian Open 2023.
Other players competing in the tournament include Barbora Krejcikova, Elina Svitolina, and Karolina Pliskova.
Schedule
The qualifying rounds begin on May 8 and will conclude on May 9. Main-draw action will commence on May 10.
The quarterfinals are scheduled to take place on May 16 and May 17, while the semifinals are set for May 19. The final will be held on Sunday, May 20.
The official tournament schedule can be accessed here.
Prize Money breakdown
The total prize money for the Italian Open is €7,705,780. The winner will receive a cheque worth €1,105,265 coupled with 1000 ranking points.
Here's a detailed breakdown of the prize money and ranking points:
Where to Watch the Italian Open 2023
Viewers in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada can watch the tournament live on the following channels and sites:
USA: All matches will be broadcast on Tennis Channel.
UK: Fans in the UK can watch the proceedings live on Amazon Prime Video.
Australia: All matches will be telecast on beIN Sports.
Canada: Viewers in Canada can watch all the matches on TVA Sports, DAZN and TSN.
