Dates, draws, prize money and everything you need to know

With Madrid behind us, the tour travels eastward to the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, the second consecutive WTA 1000 clay-court event.

Nineteen of the world’s Top 20 players are expected to compete for the outdoor red-clay title in the Italian capital of Rome. This is the 81st edition of the event.

Here are all the facts and figures you need to know about Rome:

When does the tournament start?

Main-draw action in Rome begins on Tuesday, May 7 and runs for two weeks through Sunday, May 19. The qualifying rounds will take place on Monday, May 6 and Tuesday, May 7.

The tournament takes place at the historic Foro Italico, which hosted the event for the first time in 1935.

Rome is on Central European Summer Time (GMT+2).

How big are the fields?

The singles main draw contains 96 players, including eight wild cards and 12 qualifiers. There will be 32 seeded players and all will receive first-round byes.

The doubles main draw will have 32 teams, including three wild-card pairings.

The Dunlop Fort Clay Court ball will be used at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

When are the finals?

The singles final will take place Saturday, May 18, not before 5 p.m. The doubles final will occur on Sunday, May 19, not before 1:30 p.m.

When are the draws?

The official draw will take place Monday, May 6 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Who are the defending champions?

Elena Rybakina won the second WTA 1000 title of her career last year in Rome, defeating Anhelina Kalinina in the final 6-4, 1-0, ret. Kalinina retired in the final with a left thigh injury.

Last year’s Rome doubles title was won by Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens, who bested top-seeded Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in the final, 6-4, 6-4.

What are the points and prize money on offer in the singles main draw?

First round: 10 points | €10,495
Second round: 35 points | €16,965
Third round: 65 points | €30,435
Round of 16: 120 points | €52,480
Quarterfinals: 215 points | €99,160
Semifinals: 390 points | €192,405
Finalist: 650 points | €365,015
Champion: 1000 points | €699,690

Who is playing?

The cutoff for singles direct entry was based on rankings of Monday, April 8. No.69 Ashlyn Krueger of the United States was the last direct entry at that time.

There were only two players who were ranked high enough for main-draw direct entry who are not in the field: World No.12 Karolina Muchova (continuing wrist injury) and No.58 Petra Kvitova (pregnancy/maternity leave).

Projected Top 16 seeds:

1. Every Swiatek
Ranking: No.1
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 28-4 (2 titles)*
Best Rome result: Champion (2021, 2022)
*Through Madrid semifinals

2. Aryna Sabalenka
Ranking: No.2
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 19-5 (1 title)*
Best Rome result: Semifinals (2022)
*Through Madrid semifinals

3. Coco Gauff
Ranking: No.3
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 21-7 (1 title)
Best Rome result: Semifinals (2021)

4. Elena Rybakina
Ranking: No.4
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 30-4 (3 titles)*
Best Rome result: Champion (2023)
*Through Madrid semifinals

5. Jessica Pegula
Ranking: No.5
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 12-6
Best Rome result: Quarterfinals (2021)

6.Maria Sakkari
Ranking: No.6
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 17-8
Best Rome result: Semifinals (2019)

7. Marketa Vondrousova
Ranking: No.7
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 9-6
Best Rome result: Semifinals (2020)

8. Zheng Qinwen
Ranking: No.8
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 13-8
Best Rome result: Quarterfinals (2023)

9. Our Jabeur
Ranking: No.9
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 6-8
Best Rome result: Finalist (2022)

10. Jelena Ostapenko
Ranking: No.10
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 19-8 (2 titles)
Best Rome result: Semifinals (2023)

11. Daria Kasatkina
Ranking: No.11
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 18-10
Best Rome result: Semifinals (2022)

12. Jasmine Paolini
Ranking: No.13
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 16-9 (1 title)
Best Rome result: Round of 32 (2020)

13. Beatriz Haddad Maia
Ranking: No.14
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 12-11
Best Rome result: Quarterfinals (2023)

14. Danielle Collins
Ranking: No.15
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 24-8 (2 titles)
Best Rome result: Round of 16 (2022)

15. Ekaterina Alexandrova
Ranking: No.16
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 12-11
Best Rome result: Round of 16 (2021)

16. Lyudmila Samsonova
Ranking: No.17
Year-to-date tour-level win-loss record, at WTA and Grand Slam events: 5-10
Best Rome result: Round of 32 (2023)

Former Rome champions entered in the main draw: Elena Rybakina (2023), Iga Swiatek (2021, 2022), Karolina Pliskova (2019), Elina Svitolina (2017, 2018)

Former Rome finalists entered in the main draw: Anhelina Kalinina (2023), Ons Jaber (2022), Madison Keys (2016), Sara Errani* (2014), Victoria Azarenka (2013)
* Received main-draw wild card

Among the other notable names entered include former World No.1 players Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber, both of whom used special rankings to enter the main draw after they each came back from maternity leave this January.

Grand Slam champions inside the projected Top 16 seeds are Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Marketa Vondrousova and Jelena Ostapenko.

Other Grand Slam champions in the main-draw field are Victoria Azarenka, Barbora Krejcikova, Sloane Stephens, Sofia Kenin, Osaka and Kerber.

What are some of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia superlatives in the Open Era (since 1969)?

Player with the most singles titles: Chris Evert (5 titles – 1974-1975, 1980-1982)
Youngest singles champion: Tracy Austin (1979 – aged 16)
Oldest singles champion: Serena Williams (2016 – aged 34)

How did the rest of last year’s clay-court season play out?

Here’s a look at last year’s champions and finalists from the upcoming clay-court events:

Rome (WTA 1000): Elena Rybakina def. Anhelina Kalinina

Strasbourg (WTA 250): Elina Svitolina def. Anna Blinkova
Rabat (WTA 250): Lucia Bronzetti def. Julia Grabher

Roland Garros (Grand Slam): Iga Swiatek def. Karolina Muchova