Rome ’23: Around the Courts (vid)

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Last year’s Italian Open was the first time the big joint 1000 event used the expanded 12-day, 96-player draw format.

And it left some of the players without many options, if they were eliminated early.

Perhaps the European players could go home for a few days, because it was far too early to head to Roland Garros. But that didn’t apply to American or Asian players.

And some had nearly a week before they could even play again, at a final leadup event before the French Open.

So they found practice courts where they could, splitting time with some of the players still alive in doubles.

Here’s what it looked like, one year ago.

Among those featured: Wu Yibing, Sloane Stephens, Vera Zvonareva, Jessica Pegula, Marie Bouzkova and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Alex de Minaur, Borna Coric and Mate Pavic and Taylor Fritz.