Tennis in Italy

Tennis in Italy is governed by the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation and is the 6th sport, with 1,298,000 people, by number of practitioners.[1]

History

Five Italian players have won Grand Slam tournaments: Nicola Pietrangeli (1959 and 1960 French Championships), Adriano Panatta (1976 French Open), Francesca Schiavone (2010 French Open), Flavia Pennetta (2015 US Open) and Jannik Sinner (2024 Australian Open).

The men's national team won the Davis Cup two times (1976 and 2023) and the women's national team won the Fed Cup four times (2006, 2009, 2010, and 2013).

Women's tennis in particular has seen tremendous successes in the 21st century, with the advent of Francesca Schiavone, Sara Errani, Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci. All four of these women reached the top 10 of the WTA rankings in both singles and doubles (with Schiavone and Errani reaching the top 5 in singles and Pennetta, Errani and Vinci reaching No 1 in doubles), and reached Grand Slam finals in both disciplines. Schiavone and Pennetta won singles Grand Slam titles, while Pennetta, Errani and Vinci won doubles Grand Slam titles, with Errani and Vinci achieving the Career Grand Slam in doubles as a pair. They were also responsible for Italy's 4 Fed Cup victories as members of the national Fed Cup team.

Players best singles ranking

In this table only those who have reached the top 20 in the world singles ranking.

  Active

Updated on 6 June 2024. Data refer to the Open Era (from 1968).[2]

Men
#PlayerRank AchievedGrand Slam bestATP titles
1 Jannik Sinner110 June 2024 Win – 2024 Australian Open14
2 Adriano Panatta424 August 1976 Win – 1976 French Open10
3 Matteo Berrettini631 January 2022 F – 2021 Wimbledon8
4 Corrado Barazzutti721 August 1978 SF – 1977 US Open, 1978 French Open5
5 Fabio Fognini915 July 2019 QF – 2011 French Open9
6 Paolo Bertolucci1223 August 1973 QF – 1973 French Open6
7 Lorenzo Musetti1526 June 2023 4R – 2021 French Open2
8 Marco Cecchinato1625 February 2019 SF – 2018 French Open3
9 Andreas Seppi1828 January 2013 4R – 2012 French Open, Australian Open (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018), 2013 Wimbledon3
Omar Camporese1810 February 1992 4R – 1992 Australian Open3
Andrea Gaudenzi1827 February 1995 4R – 1994 French Open2
12 Renzo Furlan1915 April 1996 QF – 1995 French Open2

Women
#PlayerRank AchievedGrand Slam bestWTA titles
1 Francesca Schiavone431 January 2011 Win 2010 French Open8
2 Sara Errani520 May 2013 F 2012 French Open9
3 Flavia Pennetta628 September 2015 Win 2015 US Open11
4 Roberta Vinci79 May 2016 F 2015 US Open10
Jasmine Paolini710 June 2024 F 2024 French Open2
6 Silvia Farina1120 May 2002 QF 2003 Wimbledon3
7 Raffaella Reggi1325 April 1988 QF 1987 French Open5
8 Sandra Cecchini1514 March 1988 QF 1985 French Open11
9 Martina Trevisan188 May 2023 SF 2022 French Open1

Grand slam best singles results

Men

Ten Italian tennis players played at least the semi-final in a Grand Slam tournament.[3]

PlayerTournamentResult
Umberto De Morpurgo1930 French ChampionshipsSemifinal
Giorgio De Stefani1932 French ChampionshipsFinal
1934 French ChampionshipsSemifinal
Giuseppe Merlo1955 French ChampionshipsSemifinal
1956 French ChampionshipsSemifinal
Nicola Pietrangeli1959 French ChampionshipsWin
1960 French ChampionshipsWin
1961 French ChampionshipsFinal
1964 French ChampionshipsFinal
1960 Wimbledon ChampionshipsSemifinal
Orlando Sirola1960 French ChampionshipsSemifinal
Adriano Panatta1973 French OpenSemifinal
1975 French OpenSemifinal
1976 French OpenWin
Corrado Barazzutti1977 US OpenSemifinal
1978 French OpenSemifinal
Marco Cecchinato2018 French OpenSemifinal
Matteo Berrettini2019 US OpenSemifinal
2021 Wimbledon ChampionshipsFinal
2022 Australian OpenSemifinal
Jannik Sinner2023 Wimbledon ChampionshipsSemifinal
2024 Australian OpenWin
2024 French OpenSemifinal

Women

Nine Italian female tennis players have reached at least the semifinals of a Grand Slam singles tournament.[4][5]

PlayerTournamentResult
Maud Rosenbaum Levi 1930 U. S. National ChampionshipsSemifinal
Annalisa Ullstein Bossi Bellani 1949 French International ChampionshipsSemifinal
Silvana Lazzarino 1954 French International ChampionshipsSemifinal
Francesca Schiavone 2010 French OpenWin
2011 French OpenFinal
Sara Errani 2012 French OpenFinal
2012 US OpenSemifinal
2013 French OpenSemifinal
Flavia Pennetta 2013 US OpenSemifinal
2015 US OpenWin
Roberta Vinci 2015 US OpenFinal
Martina Trevisan 2022 French OpenSemifinal
Jasmine Paolini 2024 French OpenFinal

All tournament winners in Open Era

Male

As of 23 June 2024, 91 tournaments have been won by 28 Italian tennis players in the major circuit.

  Still active

Female

As of 30 July 2023, 78 tournaments have been won by 21 Italian tennis players in the major circuit.

  Still active

Italian wins against the Current World's Number 1

Male

Nine Italian tennis players managed to beat the current number 1 in the world.

#DatePlayerTournamentTier SurfaceCurrent World's N.1Score
1 17 May 1974Corrado BarazzuttiMunich, West Germany250 seriesClay Ilie Năstase6–3, 6–7, 6–1
2 9 November 1975Adriano PanattaStockholm, SwedenMasters 1000Carpet Jimmy Connors4–6, 6–3, 7–5
3 18 April 1977Adriano PanattaHouston, United States250 seriesClay Jimmy Connors6–1, 7–5
4 15 June 2000Gianluca PozziQueen's, Great Britain250 seriesGrass Andre Agassi4–6, 3–2 ret.
5 10 May 2007Filippo VolandriRome, ItalyMasters 1000Clay Roger Federer6–3, 6–4
6 16 May 2017Fabio FogniniRome, ItalyMasters 1000Clay Andy Murray6–2, 6–4
7 30 October 2020Lorenzo SonegoVienna, Austria500 seriesHard (i) Novak Djokovic6–2, 6–1
8 31 March 2023Jannik SinnerMiami, United StatesMasters 1000Hard Carlos Alcaraz6–7(4–7), 6–4, 6–2
9 13 April 2023Lorenzo MusettiMonte-Carlo, MonacoMasters 1000Clay Novak Djokovic4–6, 7–5, 6–4
10 14 November 2023Jannik SinnerTurin, ItalyATP FinalsHard (i) Novak Djokovic7–5, 6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–2)
11 25 November 2023Jannik SinnerMalaga, SpainDavis CupHard (i) Novak Djokovic6–2, 2–6, 7–5
11 26 January 2024Jannik SinnerMelbourne, AustraliaGrand SlamHard Novak Djokovic6–1, 6–2, 6–7(6–8), 6–3
12 11 March 2024Luca NardiIndian Wells, United StatesMasters 1000Hard Novak Djokovic6–4, 3–6, 6–3

Female

Four Italian tennis players managed to beat the current number 1 in the world.

#DatePlayerTournamentTier SurfaceCurrent World's N.1Score
1 26 May 2004Tathiana GarbinParis, FranceGrand SlamClay Justine Henin7–5, 6–4
2 23 April 2006Francesca SchiavoneNancy, FranceBillie Jean King CupClay Amélie Mauresmo4–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–4
3 28 February 2008Francesca SchiavoneDubai, United Arab EmiratesTier II SeriesHard Justine Henin7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–4)
4 16 October 2008Flavia PennettaZurich, SwitzerlandTier II SeriesHard (i) Jelena Janković5–7, 6–3, 6–3
5 10 August 2011Roberta VinciToronto, CanadaPremier 5Hard Caroline Wozniacki6–4, 7–5
6 7 October 2011Flavia PennettaBeijing, ChinaPremier MandatoryHard (i) Caroline Wozniacki3–6, 6–0, 7–6(7–2)
7 11 September 2015Roberta VinciNew York, United StatesGrand SlamHard Serena Williams2–6, 6–4, 6–4

All-Italian finals in Open Era

Male

There were seven all-Italian finals in Open Era in the ATP Tour.[6]

#    Date    TournamentVenue Tier Surface Winner Runner-up Result
1 May 1974 Florence Open Florence C events Clay Adriano Panatta Paolo Bertolucci 6–4, 6–1
2 July 1976 Swedish Open Båstad Three-star events Clay Tonino Zugarelli Corrado Barazzutti 4–6, 7–5, 6–2
3 March 1980 Cairo Open Cairo Grand Prix Clay Corrado Barazzutti Paolo Bertolucci 4–6, 7–5, 6–2
4 April 1987 Hypo Group Tennis International Bari Grand Prix Clay Claudio Pistolesi Francesco Cancellotti 6–7, 7–5, 6–3
5 May 1988 Florence Open Florence Grand Prix Clay Massimiliano Narducci Claudio Panatta 3–6. 6–1, 6–4
6 Feb 2021 Great Ocean Road Open Melbourne 250 Series Hard Jannik Sinner Stefano Travaglia 7–6(7–4), 6–4
7 Oct 2022 Tennis Napoli Cup Naples 250 Series Hard Lorenzo Musetti Matteo Berrettini 7–6(7–5), 6–2

Female
#    Date    TournamentVenue Tier Surface Winner Runner-up Result
1 May 1985 Spanish Open Barcelona WTA $50,000 Clay Sandra Cecchini Raffaella Reggi 6–3, 6–4
2 July 1990 Estoril Open Oeiras WTA Tier V Clay Federica Bonsignori Laura Garrone 2–6, 6–3, 6–3
3 July 1991 San Marino Open City of San Marino WTA Tier V Clay Katia Piccolini Silvia Farina 6–2, 6–3
4 March 2003 Morocco Open Casablanca WTA Tier V Clay Rita Grande Antonella Serra Zanetti 6–2, 4–6, 6–1
5 February 2007 Copa Colsanitas Bogotá WTA Tier III Clay Roberta Vinci Tathiana Garbin 6–7(5–7), 6–4, 0–3 ret.
6 July 2009 Internazionali Femminili di Palermo Palermo WTA International Clay Flavia Pennetta Sara Errani 6–1, 6–2
7 April 2010 Barcelona Ladies Open Barcelona WTA International Clay Francesca Schiavone Roberta Vinci 6–1, 6–1
8 February 2012 Abierto Mexicano Telcel Acapulco WTA International Clay Sara Errani Flavia Pennetta 5–7, 7–6(7–2), 6–0
9 July 2013 Internazionali Femminili di Palermo Palermo WTA International Clay Roberta Vinci Sara Errani 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
10 May 2015 Nürnberger Cup Nürnberg WTA International Clay Karin Knapp Roberta Vinci 7–6(7–5), 4–6, 6–1
11 September 2015 US Open New York City Grand Slam Hard Flavia Pennetta Roberta Vinci 7-6, 6-2

See also

References
  1. "Graduatoria degli sport più praticati in Italia" (PDF) (in Italian). coni.it. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  2. "QUANTI ITALIANI SONO ENTRATI NEI TOP 50? RISPONDE L'ESPERTO" (in Italian). supertennis.tv. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  3. "Marco Cecchinato è l'ottavo giocatore nella storia del tennis italiano ad approdare in una semifinale Slam" (in Italian). superlivetennis.it. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  4. "I migliori risultati delle azzurre nei tornei dello Slam". federtennis.it (in Italian). Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  5. "VINCI-PENNETTA Tutti i numeri di un'impresa". federtennis.it (in Italian). Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  6. "ATP: SINNER-TRAVAGLIA, SETTIMO DERBY AZZURRO IN FINALE. I PRECEDENTI" (in Italian). federtennis.it. 6 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
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