Tennis in Italy
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Tennis in Italy is governed by the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation and in 2012 it was the 6th sport by number of practitioners, with 1,298,000 people.[1]
History
One Italian player, Jannik Sinner, has been men's singles world No. 1 (ATP ranking).
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, 2024 US Open, 2025 Australian Open, 2025 Wimbledon and 2026 Wimbledon).
Four Italian players have won an Olympic medal: Uberto De Morpurgo and Lorenzo Musetti won a bronze medal in the men's singles, respectively in 1924 and 2024, and the Sara Errani–Jasmine Paolini duo won a gold medal in the women's doubles, again in 2024.
The men's national team won the Davis Cup four times (1976, 2023, 2024 and 2025) and the women's national team won the Billie Jean King Cup six times (2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2024 and 2025).
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.
Updated as of 24 August 2026. Data refer to the Open Era (from 1968).[2]
Men
| # | Player | Rank | Achieved | Grand Slam best | ATP titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jannik Sinner | 1 | 10 June 2024 | Win – Australian Open (2024, 2025), 2024 US Open, Wimbledon Championships (2025, 2026) | 30 |
| 2 | Adriano Panatta | 4 | 24 August 1976 | Win – 1976 French Open | 10 |
| 3 | Lorenzo Musetti | 5 | 12 January 2025 | SF – 2024 Wimbledon, 2025 French Open | 2 |
| 4 | Matteo Berrettini | 6 | 31 January 2022 | F – 2021 Wimbledon | 10 |
| Flavio Cobolli | 6 | 24 August 2026 | F – 2026 French Open | 3 | |
| 6 | Corrado Barazzutti | 7 | 21 August 1978 | SF – 1977 US Open, 1978 French Open | 5 |
| 7 | Fabio Fognini | 9 | 15 July 2019 | QF – 2011 French Open | 9 |
| 8 | Paolo Bertolucci | 12 | 23 August 1973 | QF – 1973 French Open | 6 |
| 9 | Marco Cecchinato | 16 | 25 February 2019 | SF – 2018 French Open | 3 |
| Luciano Darderi | 16 | 18 May 2026 | 4R – 2026 Australian Open | 5 | |
| 11 | Omar Camporese | 18 | 10 February 1992 | 4R – 1992 Australian Open | 2 |
| Andrea Gaudenzi | 18 | 27 February 1995 | 4R – 1994 French Open | 3 | |
| Andreas Seppi | 18 | 28 January 2013 | 4R – 2012 French Open, 2013 Wimbledon, Australian Open (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018) | 3 | |
| 14 | Renzo Furlan | 19 | 15 April 1996 | QF – 1995 French Open | 2 |
Women
| # | Player | Rank | Achieved | Grand Slam best | WTA titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Francesca Schiavone | 4 | 31 January 2011 | Win – 2010 French Open | 8 |
| Jasmine Paolini | 4 | 28 October 2024 | F – 2024 French Open, 2024 Wimbledon | 3 | |
| 3 | Sara Errani | 5 | 20 May 2013 | F – 2012 French Open | 9 |
| 4 | Flavia Pennetta | 6 | 28 September 2015 | Win – 2015 US Open | 11 |
| 5 | Roberta Vinci | 7 | 9 May 2016 | F – 2015 US Open | 10 |
| 6 | Silvia Farina | 11 | 20 May 2002 | QF – 2003 Wimbledon | 3 |
| 7 | Raffaella Reggi | 13 | 25 April 1988 | QF – 1987 French Open | 5 |
| 8 | Sandra Cecchini | 15 | 14 March 1988 | QF – 1985 French Open | 11 |
| 9 | Martina Trevisan | 18 | 8 May 2023 | SF – 2022 French Open | 1 |
Grand slam best results
Men's singles
Thirteen Italian tennis players played at least the semi-final in a Grand Slam tournament.[3]
Men's doubles
Eight Italian tennis players played at least the semi-final in a Grand Slam tournament.
Women's singles
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Nine Italian female tennis players have reached at least the semifinals of a Grand Slam singles tournament.[4][5]
| Player | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Maud Rosenbaum Levi | 1930 U. S. National Championships | Semifinal |
| Annalisa Ullstein Bossi Bellani | 1949 French International Championships | Semifinal |
| Silvana Lazzarino | 1954 French International Championships | Semifinal |
| Francesca Schiavone | 2010 French Open | Win |
| 2011 French Open | Final | |
| Sara Errani | 2012 French Open | Final |
| 2012 US Open | Semifinal | |
| 2013 French Open | Semifinal | |
| Flavia Pennetta | 2013 US Open | Semifinal |
| 2015 US Open | Win | |
| Roberta Vinci | 2015 US Open | Final |
| Martina Trevisan | 2022 French Open | Semifinal |
| Jasmine Paolini | 2024 French Open | Final |
| 2024 Wimbledon | Final |
Women's doubles
Nine Italian tennis players played at least the semi-final in a Grand Slam tournament.
All tournament winners in Open Era
Men's singles
As of 17 May 2026, 116 tournaments have been won by 29 Italian tennis players in the major circuit.
Women's singles
As of 17 January 2026, 80 tournaments have been won by 21 Italian tennis players in the major circuit.
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Men's doubles
As of 17 May 2026, 92 tournaments have been won by 37 Italian tennis players in the major circuit.
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Women's doubles
As of 5 October 2025, 129 tournaments have been won by 21 Italian tennis players in the major circuit.
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Italian wins against the Current World's Number 1
Male
Nine Italian tennis players managed to beat the current number 1 in the world.
| # | Date | Player | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Current World's N.1 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 May 1974 | Corrado Barazzutti | Munich, West Germany | 250 series | Clay | .svg.png){kind=small} Ilie Năstase | 6–3, 6–7, 6–1 |
| 2 | 9 November 1975 | Adriano Panatta | Stockholm, Sweden | Masters 1000 | Carpet |  Jimmy Connors | 4–6, 6–3, 7–5 |
| 3 | 18 April 1977 | Adriano Panatta | Houston, United States | 250 series | Clay | Jimmy Connors | 6–1, 7–5 |
| 4 | 15 June 2000 | Gianluca Pozzi | Queen's, Great Britain | 250 series | Grass | Andre Agassi | 4–6, 3–2 ret. |
| 5 | 10 May 2007 | Filippo Volandri | Rome, Italy | Masters 1000 | Clay | .svg.png){kind=small} Roger Federer | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 6 | 16 May 2017 | Fabio Fognini | Rome, Italy | Masters 1000 | Clay |  Andy Murray | 6–2, 6–4 |
| 7 | 30 October 2020 | Lorenzo Sonego | Vienna, Austria | 500 series | Hard (i) |  Novak Djokovic | 6–2, 6–1 |
| 8 | 31 March 2023 | Jannik Sinner | Miami, United States | Masters 1000 | Hard |  Carlos Alcaraz | 6–7(4–7), 6–4, 6–2 |
| 9 | 13 April 2023 | Lorenzo Musetti | Monte-Carlo, Monaco | Masters 1000 | Clay | Novak Djokovic | 4–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
| 10 | 14 November 2023 | Jannik Sinner | Turin, Italy | ATP Finals | Hard (i) | Novak Djokovic | 7–5, 6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–2) |
| 11 | 25 November 2023 | Jannik Sinner | Malaga, Spain | Davis Cup | Hard (i) | Novak Djokovic | 6–2, 2–6, 7–5 |
| 12 | 26 January 2024 | Jannik Sinner | Melbourne, Australia | Grand Slam | Hard | Novak Djokovic | 6–1, 6–2, 6–7(6–8), 6–3 |
| 13 | 11 March 2024 | Luca Nardi | Indian Wells, United States | Masters 1000 | Hard | Novak Djokovic | 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 14 | 16 November 2025 | Jannik Sinner | Turin, Italy | ATP Finals | Hard (i) | Carlos Alcaraz | 7–6(7–4), 7–5 |
| 15 | 14 April 2026 | Jannik Sinner | Monte-Carlo, France | Masters 1000 | Clay | Carlos Alcaraz | 7–6(7–5), 6–3 |
Female
Four Italian tennis players managed to beat the current number 1 in the world.
| # | Date | Player | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Current World's N.1 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 May 2004 | Tathiana Garbin | Paris, France | Grand Slam | Clay | .svg.png){kind=small} Justine Henin | 7–5, 6–4 |
| 2 | 23 April 2006 | Francesca Schiavone | Nancy, France | Billie Jean King Cup | Clay |  Amélie Mauresmo | 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–4 |
| 3 | 28 February 2008 | Francesca Schiavone | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Tier II Series | Hard | Justine Henin | 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–4) |
| 4 | 16 October 2008 | Flavia Pennetta | Zurich, Switzerland | Tier II Series | Hard (i) | Jelena Janković | 5–7, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 5 | 10 August 2011 | Roberta Vinci | Toronto, Canada | Premier 5 | Hard |  Caroline Wozniacki | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 6 | 7 October 2011 | Flavia Pennetta | Beijing, China | Premier Mandatory | Hard (i) | Caroline Wozniacki | 3–6, 6–0, 7–6(7–2) |
| 7 | 11 September 2015 | Roberta Vinci | New York, United States | Grand Slam | Hard | Serena Williams | 2–6, 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 | Tournament | Venue | 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 | .svg.png){kind=small} 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 | Tournament | Venue | 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 | .svg.png){kind=small} 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
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "QUANTI ITALIANI SONO ENTRATI NEI TOP 50? RISPONDE L'ESPERTO" (in Italian). supertennis.tv. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "I migliori risultati delle azzurre nei tornei dello Slam". federtennis.it (in Italian). Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ↑ "VINCI-PENNETTA Tutti i numeri di un'impresa". federtennis.it (in Italian). Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ↑ "ATP: SINNER-TRAVAGLIA, SETTIMO DERBY AZZURRO IN FINALE. I PRECEDENTI" (in Italian). federtennis.it. 6 February 2021. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
External links
- Italian Tennis Federation official site