World’s top tennis stars to compete in Rome.
The 2026 Internazionali BNL d’Italia tennis tournament, also known as the Italian Open or the Rome Masters, will be held at the Foro Italico from 28 April to 17 May.
The prestigious sporting event, now in its 83rd edition, is the last major ATP Tour tournament before the French Open, combining men and women’s tournaments with more than 300 matches.
The tournament, which comprises more than 300 matches played on clay, brings with it the world’s most important Italian tennis players.
Golden era for Italian tennis
“This is an extraordinary moment for Italian tennis” – Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri said during the media presentation this week – “On Sunday, we celebrated Sinner’s victory in Monte Carlo, but it’s also a great moment of growth for tennis in our city and throughout the country.”
Rome tourism and sport councillor Alessandro Onorato said the tournament has generated “unprecedented” media attention around the world in recent years, crediting the surge in interest to “the excellent organisation and the many Italian champions” as well as initiatives such as the temporary tennis court in Piazza del Popolo and draws at the Trevi Fountain.
Stars to watch
The 2025 edition provided a vivid preview of what Roman crowds can expect. Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz claimed the men’s singles title against Italy’s Jannik Sinner, taking home prize money of €985,000, while Jasmine Paolini triumphed in the women’s draw, earning €877,000 – all within a framework that is moving towards equal prize money for men and women.
All three players will be among the most eagerly anticipated entrants in 2026 – along with Iga Świątek, Aryna Sabalenka, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev – with Sinner in particular carrying the hopes of the home crowd.
The tournament’s record books are dominated by the recently retired Rafael Nadal, the most successful player in the history of the Rome event with 10 singles titles, while on the women’s side, American Chris Evert holds the all-time record with five titles, accumulated between the late 1970s and early 1980s.
New additions for 2026
This year sees the debut of the new SuperTennis Arena at the Foro Italico, situated close to the Campo Centrale near the former youth hostel on Viale delle Olimpiadi, designed to improve the spectator experience and add dynamism to the layout of the grounds.
A tennis court will also be installed in Piazza del Popolo, where visitors can watch training sessions, exhibition matches and some pre-qualifying ties free of charge.
A covered arena for the future
The biggest structural news, however, concerns the longer-term transformation and enlargement of the Centrale stadium. Rome city council has approved plans to increase seating capacity to 12,500 and build four panoramic terraces.
Most significantly, a roof covering and retractable canopy is set to transform the Centrale into a year-round multipurpose facility capabale of hosting major sporting events and concerts.
The proposal still requires final approval from the city assembly before works can proceed.
Tickets for the 2026 tournament are available via the official website.
Photo credit: Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock.com