The third of three 1000-point tournaments on red clay takes place over the upcoming fortnight in Rome as we prepare for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek are the top seeds in the Men and Woman draws. Rafael Nadal is also playing – likely his final appearance at an event he has won on 10 occasions.
Let's review the best bets for both the Men and Woman sides in Rome before play gets underway on Tuesday.
MEN
- Casper Ruud
- Andrey Rublev
- Alexander Zverev
WOMEN
- Iga Swiatek
- Danielle Collins
- Jelena Ostapenko
Ruud Aims For 2nd Clay Title in 2024
The men’s title in Rome is entirely up for grabs. World No. 2 Jannik Sinner is sidelined by a hip problem and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz is out because of an arm injury. Djokovic is back after skipping the Madrid tournament, but with the French Open coming up he is surely more focused on a Grand Slam than on a Masters 1000 event.
Ruud reached back-to-back finals in Monte-Carlo (runner-up) and Barcelona (champion) and his batteries should be recharged following a fourth-round loss to eventual runner-up Felix Auger-Aliassime in Madrid.
Rublev To Build On Madrid Success
Rublev went into the Madrid Masters 1000 on a four-match losing streak, but what a difference one tournament can make. From out of nowhere, the world No. 6 rolled to the title – upsetting Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion – along the way. Both of Rublev’s Masters 1000 triumphs (also Monte-Carlo in 2023) have come on clay. He has a favorable draw in Rome, too, on the opposite side from Djokovic and Ruud.
Zverev Seeks 2nd Rome Trophy
This event should set up nicely for Zverev. He is well-rested following an early loss in Madrid and has enjoyed plenty of success in Rome throughout his career. The German won in 2017, finished runner-up in 2018 and has reached the quarters and semis in two of his last three appearances.
Bet Against Swiatek At Your Own Risk
As for the women, Swiatek is the best player in the world regardless of surface – but she is especially dominant on clay. The top-ranked Pole is a three-time French Open champion and has triumphed in Rome twice. She is also coming off a title this past Sunday in Madrid.
Collins In Red Hot Form
Nobody on the WTA Tour has been hotter than Collins this spring. The 30-year-old American captured back-to-back titles in Miami (hard courts) and Charleston (clay), losing a total of two sets across those two tournaments. In Madrid, she advanced two rounds before losing a three-set thriller against Aryna Sabalenka, who came within one point of winning the title.
Ostapenko A wild Card
It’s going to take something special to beat Swiatek in Rome, which makes Ostapenko an intriguing play. The Latvian plays a high-risk style of tennis that is good enough to beat anyone on any given day. She is a former French Open champion (2017) and her Rome history includes two quarterfinal results and a semifinal showing in 2023.
