Internazionali BNL d’Italia returns to Foro Italico this May with top WTA stars, a full schedule, defending champions, and major prize money.
Rome’s tennis spotlight returns with a familiar mix of pressure and promise: the Internazionali BNL d’Italia is set to kick off, bringing the WTA clay-court swing’s biggest questions into focus.
The Rome 411 guide starts with timing.. Qualifying begins on Monday, May 4, and the main singles draw follows the next day.. Doubles action gets underway at the end of the week on Sunday, May 10, with the tournament running through Sunday, May 17.. The singles final is scheduled for May 16 at 5 p.m.. local time, while the doubles final takes place on May 17 at 12 p.m.. local time.
The schedule matters because the clay season can shift momentum quickly. With multiple rounds stacked across consecutive days, early matchups can shape a player’s rhythm long before the late stages.
Behind the scenes, the tournament’s structure is also a big part of why fans keep watching.. The draw features 96 players: 76 direct entries. 12 qualifiers. and eight wild cards. with every player in the Top 20 of the WTA rankings in the field.. World No.. 1 Aryna Sabalenka leads the pack. joined by a high-profile lineup that includes Elena Rybakina. Coco Gauff. Iga Swiatek. Jessica Pegula. and others.. Misryoum notes that. among the entrants. some storylines are especially compelling on clay. including players returning to action and those making key transitions after injuries.
Meanwhile, Rome’s positioning on the calendar makes it a crucial chapter before the French Open. It is the final WTA 1000 before Paris, so both form and confidence tend to carry extra weight from Foro Italico to Roland-Garros.
For fans tracking who might go deep, withdrawals and additions add another layer of uncertainty.. Misryoum lists withdrawals including Marketa Vondrousova. Sonay Kartal. Varvara Gracheva. and Veronika Kudermetova. alongside main-draw additions such as Eva Lys and Zeynep Sonmez.. Wild cards include Lucrezia Stefanini. Nuria Brancaccio. Lisa Pigato. and Lucia Bronzetti. among others. with one further spot still to be announced.
The defending champions storyline is one of the tournament’s most emotional story arcs.. Last year. Jasmine Paolini won the singles title in a landmark moment for Italian tennis. and she returned to sweep the week by taking the doubles crown the following day.. In the current field. Paolini is not the only multiple-time title threat either: Swiatek is a three-time champion and Rybakina has also previously won here. while other former winners like Svitolina and Karolina Pliskova add depth to the race for the trophy.
This is where the stakes feel personal. A tournament like Rome does more than crown a champion; it can confirm a season’s direction, especially when the pressure comes from home crowds and the knowledge that the next major test is close.
Finally, the prize money and points underline how much is at stake.. The singles champion will receive €1,055,285 and 1,000 rankings points, with the finalist earning €549,335 and 650 points.. Semifinalists, quarterfinalists, and earlier-round players also receive prize money and points, reflecting how consistent performance can move the rankings.. In doubles, the champions will take home €368,630 and 1,000 points, reinforcing why every round matters on clay.