To be honest: The Italians have not uprooted any trees at their biggest home tournament in the Foro Italico in recent years. In fact, not for more than four decades: the last triumph of a local hero in Rome dates back to 1976, when Adriano Panatta was so free. Two years later, Panatta was in the final again, but lost it to Björn Borg.

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Now the Italians are in a better position in the current tennis world than they have been for a long time. Also due to the many smaller tournaments in the country and the opportunities that are being prepared for the next generation. And if you get enough self-confidence and points there, you'll play faster in the concert of the big ones. Matteo Berrettini as a fixed starter and Jannik Sinner as an acclaimed substitute proved this at the ATP Finals in Turin last year.

In Rome, however, where the first matches of the traditional Masters 1000 tournament will be played this Sunday, the chances for the Italians are extremely bad. Berrettini is not at the start after an operation on his batting hand, Sinner had big problems with Tommy Paul at the start in Madrid and then lost in the round of 16 against Félix Auger-Aliassime without much resistance. In Rome, the South Tyrolean starts against the Spanish clay court expert Pedro Martinez, after which it would be against the winner of the game between Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini .

Musetti has to withdraw injured

The latter is the only active Italian who has already won a 1000, it was in Monte Carlo in 2019. But even for the nimble Fognini, the window to really big titles is slowly closing. In any case, in the past few weeks he has been significantly more successful in doubles alongside Simone Bolelli than as a soloist.

Things are not going well for Lorenzo Sonego either, the Romans might have had a bit of hope for Lorenzo Musetti . However, he had to withdraw due to an injury that had already forced him to give up against Alexander Zverev in Madrid.

What remains are four players who were sent into the race using a wildcard: Luca Nardi, Francesco Passaro, Flavio Cobolli and Matteo Arnaldi. But, at least this year, they cannot continue the tradition of Adriano Panatta.

Here the single tableau in Rome

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