Italian Open Tennis: Draws, dates, Cameron Norrie, Iga Swiatek in action - where are Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray?

Italian Open Tennis: Draws, dates, Cameron Norrie, Iga Swiatek in action – where are Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray?

Posted by Admin May 11, 2024 Sports

All you need to know about the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome including draws, dates and why Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray aren’t featuring…

Who is in action in Rome on Monday?

Monday features a bumper crop of tennis stars live on Sky Sports, with Cameron Norrie, Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff all in action.

Britain’s Norrie meets Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 32 (from midday BST), while Medvedev is set to clash with Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic (not before 6pm).

World No 1 Swiatek comes up against Germany’s Angelique Kerber (not before 2pm) as US Open champion Gauff takes on Spain’s Paula Badosa (midday) in the round of 16.

You can keep track here of all the latest scores.

Why are British pair Murray and Raducanu not playing?

British pair Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu are not taking part in the Italian capital this year.

Murray has been practising on clay as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury and will return at next week’s ATP Challenger Tour in Bordeaux before playing at the Geneva Open, indicating he is planning on playing in the French Open later this month.

The 36-year-old, who is expected to retire at some point this season, has been sidelined since late March after damaging ankle ligaments in a third-round match against Tomas Machac at the Miami Open.

Raducanu’s current plans are to compete in Strasbourg, but she is also entered into qualifying for the French Open unless she receives a wild card into the main draw.

In the men’s draw, home favourite Jannik Sinner (hip), Carlos Alcaraz (forearm) are also absent due to injury, while defending women’s champion Elina Rybakina withdrew due to illness.

What is the Italian Open?

The third clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event of the season sees the world’s best players compete at the tournament, held at the iconic Foro Italico in Rome.

World No 1 Novak Djokovic returned to action in preparation for the French Open, with ‘King of Clay’ Rafael Nadal hoping to continue building up to Roland Garros at the tournament where he is a 14-time champion, but both have made early exits.

As with the Madrid Open, the 32 seeds at the Italian Open received a first-round bye, so entered the tournament in the second round.

Play will start at 10am UK time every day until Thursday, May 16 when it begins at midday. There will be evening sessions starting at 6pm each day until finals weekend, when play starts at midday on both days.

The finals will be held on the weekend of May 18.

Who are the defending Italian Open champions?

Medvedev won the 2023 singles title, his first clay-court trophy, with a 7-5 7-5 victory against Holger Rune.

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

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

In the run-up to the second Grand Slam of 2024 – the French Open at Roland Garros from May 26 – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the clay-court season.