Rome
Fantastic Fresco: Will Sinner or Musetti join Rome champion’s club?
The ATP Masters 1000 event has had five different champions in the past five years
May 05, 2026
Franco Di Pietro/@fdsigns_
The ATP Tour heads to the Eternal City, where main-draw play runs from 6-17 May.
By ATP Staff
“What happened in Monte-Carlo, happened. What happened in Madrid, happened. And here we are… we are in Rome.” That now-viral press conference mantra from Rafael Nadal makes its rounds on social media every year ahead of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
And, here we are… in Rome, the final clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event of the season, which has featured five different champions in the past five years. Will that trend continue in 2026 with one of the stars featured in the Renaissance-inspired fresco above? Jannik Sinner, the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings and home favourite, is among those chasing a maiden Rome crown.
The artwork, which is set against a ceiling of clouds and framed by marble statues and classical Roman architecture, captures what makes Rome a unique stop on the Tour. Sport, history and spectacle collide at the Foro Italico.
At the centre of the fresco sits the Rome trophy itself, positioned like a sacred prize as players appear to leap toward it from every angle.
In a city built on history, Sinner has the chance to add his own chapter by joining Novak Djokovic as the second man to complete the Career Golden Masters. The 38-year-old Djokovic has won all nine ATP Masters 1000 events twice.
Djokovic, a six-time Rome champion, is among the headline names in the draw, alongside former champions Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev. Top 10 stars Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton, Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti also feature in the artwork. Main-draw action in Rome runs from 6-17 May.