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The Italian Open is around the corner and there are some top, top players competing in the men's event.
Daniil Medvedev won the Masters 1000 tournament last season after beating Holger Rune in the final. The Russian recently retired from his Madrid Open quarterfinal due to an injury and he could have a difficult title defense.
While the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are not competing, there are Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Casper Ruud, who are among the title contenders in Rome.
What is the Italian Open?
The Italian Open is one of the most prestigious clay-court tournaments around and it takes place in Rome. The inaugural edition of the men's tournament took place in 1930, with the legendary Bill Tilden becoming champion after beating Umberto de Morpurgo in the final.
Rafael Nadal is the most successful player in the history of the Italian Open with ten titles to his name. Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras are a few of the tennis legends who have won this tournament.
Venue
The Foro Italico in Rome is the venue for Italian Open 2024.
Players and Draw
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is the top seed at the Italian Open and will be among the favorites to win despite not winning a title so far.
Rafael Nadal had a promising run at the Madrid Open and he will enter Rome with more confidence. If the Spaniard is at his fittest, there is a good chance of him having a deep run. He will face a qualifier in the first round.
Daniil Medvedev won last season's edition of the Italian Open and while he recently suffered an injury in Madrid, he cannot be written off. He will be up against either Jack Draper or Borna Coric in the second round.
Madrid Open champion Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas are all among the title contenders in Rome.
Schedule
The men's singles main draw at the Masters 1000 event will start on May 8. The quarterfinals will take place on May 15 and May 16 while the semifinals are set to be held on May 17. The women's singles final is scheduled to be played on May 19.
Prize Money
The total prize money for the men's tournament in Rome is $5,509,771 and the women's singles champion will earn €699,690. Here is the full prize money breakdown for the WTA 1000 event:
Where to Watch
Viewers from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and India can catch live action from the Italian capital on the following channels and sites:
United States - Tennis Channel
United Kingdom - Sky Sports
Australia - beIN Sports
Canada - TSN & DAZN
India- Tennis Channel
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
