The week before a Grand Slam can lead to some strange draws.

And notably on Saturday, players like David Goffin, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Moreno de Alboran – who are straight into the Roland Garros main draw – have to qualify in into ATP 250-level events this week.

In Rome, only the men’s doubles semifinals are on the docket for Saturday – day matches, with the women’s final in the late afternoon.

(Rome is 6 hours ahead of EDT)

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Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 1000 (Joint event with the WTA Tour)
Dates: May 8 – 19, 2024
Prize money: €7,877,020
Draws: S96 – D32

Saturday, May 18, 2024
Order of play
Doubles, semifinals

Centrale (Noon start – 6 a.m. EDT)

1. Simone Bolelli / Andrea Vavassori (ITA) vs. Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) / Mate Pavic (CRO)

2. [1] Marcel Granollers (ESP) / Horacio Zeballos (ARG) vs. Alexander Bublik (KAZ) / Ben Shelton (USA)

************************************

Gonet Geneva Open
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 250
Dates: May 19 – 25, 2024
Prize money: €651,865
Draws: S32 – D16

Saturday, May 18, 2024
Order of play
Qualifying, first round

Center Court (11 a.m. start – 5 a.m. EDT)

1. [5] Juan Pablo Ficovich (ARG) vs. [WC] Jakub Paul (SUI) H2H

2. [7] Abdulllah Shelbayh (JOR) vs. [ALT] Damien Wenger (SUI) H2H

3. [6] Gils Brouwer (NED) vs. [ALT] Antoine Bellier (SUI) H2H

Court 1

1. [2] Alexander Kovacevic (USA) vs. Mitchell Krueger (USA) H2H

2. [1] Sebastian Ofner (AUS) vs. [WC] Hendrik Jebens (GER) H2H

3. [3] David Goffin (BEL) vs. Gianluca Mager (ITA) H2H(not before 3 p.m.)

Court 2

1. [4] Nicolas Moreno de Alboran (USA) vs. [ALT] Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (USA) H2H

2. [8] Ethan Quinn (USA) vs. Ivan Gakhov (RUS) H2H

************************************

Open Parc
Location: Lyon, France
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 250
Dates: May 19 – 24, 2024
Prize money: €651,865
Draws: S32 – D16

Saturday, May 18, 2024
Order of play

Court Central (10:30 a.m. start – 4:30 a.m. EDT)

1. [4] Hugo Gaston (FRA) vs. Guido Andreozzi (ARG) H2H

2. [8] Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) vs. Javier Barranco Cosano (ESP) H2H

3. [7] Harold Mayot (FRA) vs. Tristan Lamasine (FRA) H2H

Court 1

1. [5] Pedro Cachin (ARG) vs. Renzo Olivo (ARG) H2H

2. [2] Constant Lestienne (FRA) vs. Nicolas Sanchez Izquierdo (ESP) H2H

3. [3] Daniel Elahi Galan (COL) vs. David Jorda Sanchis (ESP) H2H

Court 2

1. [1] Taro Daniel (JPN) vs. [WC] Maxime Chazal (FRA) H2H

2. [6] Thiago Agustin Tirant (ARG) vs. Sebastian Fanselow (GER) H2H

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Can the career-making week for Cana-Chilean Alejandro Tabilo continue right to the Rome finals?

His biggest test yet will come Friday, in the semifinals against No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev.

Tabilo’s Chilean compatriot, Nicolas Jarry, will attempt to do the same against surprise American semifinalist Tommy Paul, seeded No. 14.

(Rome is 6 hours ahead of EDT)

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Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 1000 (Joint event with the WTA Tour)
Dates: May 8 – 19, 2024
Prize money: €7,877,020
Draws: S96 – D32

Friday, May 17, 2024
Results

Centrale

2. [3] Alexander Zverev (GER) def. [29] Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) 16 76 (4) 62

4. [14] Tommy Paul (USA) vs [21] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) H2H 

************************************

A lot of upsets, but No. 6, No. 7, No. 14 and No. 21 were the seeds remaining from the bottom half of the draw in the men’s singles.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, obviously, would be considered the favorite not just because he was the highest seed, but also because of his superior clay gravitas.

But these days, you just never know. And he’s out.

And there could conceivably be two Chileans in Sunday’s final; to be determined.

(Rome is 6 hours ahead of EDT)

************************************

Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 1000 (Joint event with the WTA Tour)
Dates: May 8 – 19, 2024
Prize money: €7,877,020
Draws: S96 – D32

Thursday, May 16, 2024
Final results

Singles, quarterfinals

[14] Tommy Paul (USA) def [7] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 75 36 63

[21] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) def. [6] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 36 75 64

Doubles, quarterfinals

[1] Marcel Granollers (ESP) / Horacio Zeballos (ESP) def. Sander Gille / Joran Vliegen (BEL) 62 76 (4)

Simone Bolelli / Andrea Vavassori (ITA) def [7] Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Nikola Mektic (CRO) 64 62

************************************

A great win against a diminished Novak Djokovic was followed up by another impressive win over Karen Khachanov.

And without a day off, Cana-Chilean Alejandro Tabilo took on Zhizhen Zhang in a pretty serendipitous Rome quarterfinal draw Wednesday.

Would he be feeling some wear and tear from a career-making week? Apparently not!

Later, Alexander Zverev took on “Claylor” Fritz, who has impressed in Rome but whose road ended.

And the men play their doubles on the Grand Stand, while the women are on the smaller – but far more picturesque – Pietrangeli.

(Rome is 6 hours ahead of EDT)

************************************

Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 1000 (Joint event with the WTA Tour)
Dates: May 8 – 19, 2024
Prize money: €7,877,020
Draws: S96 – D32

Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Final results

Singles, quarterfinals

[29] Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) def Zhizhen Zhang (CHN) 63 64

[3] Alexander Zverev (GER) def [11] Taylor Fritz (USA) 64 63

Doubles, quarterfinals

Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) / Mate Pavic (CRO)  def [3] Rajeev Ram (USA) / Joe Salisbury (GBR) 64 64

Alexander Bublik (KAZ) / Ben Shelton (USA) def. Francisco Cerundolo / Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) 16 64 [10-5]

************************************

By the end of Tuesday, some of the ATP quarterfinalists will be known in Rome.

And one of them is Cana-Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, vanquisher of Alejandro Tabilo and into the top 30 in the ATP rankings for the first time in his career.

He got past Karen Khachanov, who often goes deep into bigger tournaments without necessarily making much noise along the way.

Also looking for quarterfinal sports? Americans Tommy Paul and Taylor (“Claylor”) Fritz. Both made it – with Paul making his win over defending champion Daniil Medvedev look routine.

(Rome is 6 hours ahead of EDT)

************************************

Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 1000 (Joint event with the WTA Tour)
Dates: May 8 – 19, 2024
Prize money: €7,877,020
Draws: S96 – D32

Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Final results

Singles, fourth round

Canadian content

[29] Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) def [16] Karen Khachanov (RUS) 76 (5) 76 (10)

Upsets

[14] Tommy Paul (USA) def [2] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 61 64 

[11] Taylor Fritz (USA) def [8] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 62 67 (11) 61

Seeds scuffling

[7] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) def [17] Sebastian Baez (ARG) 57 76 (4) 64

Seeds advancing

[3] Alexander Zverev (GER) def. Nuno Borges (POR) 62 75

[6] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) def. [9] Alex de Minaur (AUS) 61 62

[21] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) def. [Q] Alexandre Muller (FRA) 75 63

Other results

Zhizhen Zhang (CHN) def. [Q] Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 76 (4) 63

Doubles, second round

Simone Bolelli / Andrea Vavassori (ITA) def [2] Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Matthew Ebden (AUS) 62 64

[1] Marcel Granollers (ESP) / Horacio Zeballos (ARG) def. Rafael Matos (BRA) / Andres Molteni (ARG) 64 62

************************************

Open Court took these photos in Rome last year, after 28-year-old Italian Stefano Napolitano had lost in the first round of the singles main draw.

Already, it was impressive effort for the then-No. 555 to get through the qualifying on a wild card.

He’d given No. 59 Alex Molcan all he could handle, going down in a third-set tiebreak after beating Aleksandar Kovacevic and Maximiliar Marterer.

He was practicing, preparing for his next tournament – a Challenger in Turin that he also had to qualify for.

Napolitano was basically a career Challenger guy, a stylish player who got into the top 200 for a few periods during his career. But not a player, as he neared 30, who was on the rise.

Fast forward a year – and the 29-year-old Napolitano is at a career high of No. 125. And he’s into the third round at the Masters 1000 in Rome.

And he owes a tip of the cap to Matteo Berrettini.

(Update: a spirited, 2h21 battle, but he went down 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to No. 21 seed Nicolas Jarry).

A long road from the 500s

During Roland Garros a year ago, Napolitano played a $25K ITF in Rome and then an entry-level $15K in Frascati, Italy. And he didn’t even win either of those.

But slowly, things began to click. He won a $25K on clay during Wimbledon. And then he got to a pair of Challenger quarterfinals from the qualifying – losing to quality players a bit down on their luck in Pedro Martinez and David Goffin.

He ended his 2023 season winning an entry-level $15K which was, as nearly all of his tournaments were last season, in Italy.

This season, Napolitano has won three Challengers. And he sits at a career-high No. 125 this week in Rome.

He ended up getting main-draw wild card, after Matteo Berrettini squeezed into the main draw and didn’t need it. But he was obviously a long way from the Italian federation’s first choice, obviously.

Lucky losers galore

The first two rounds in Rome were Napolitano’s first career wins at the Masters 1000 level – actually, his first career victories on the ATP Tour after he came in with an 0-3 career record.

And he got lucky: Berrettini ended up withdrawing, and J.J. Wolf came in as a lucky loser. Napolitano beat Wolf. And then he beat another lucky loser, Juncheng Shang.

And so on Monday, he finds himself, rather improbably, in the third round against Nicolas Jarry of Chile.

Even if he doesn’t win, Napolitano will bank more than 50,000 Euros and defend points from a Challenger effort a year ago. It’s nearly as much as he grossed all of 2023, even as he played 22 tournaments at every level.

Not to mention all the confidence he’ll bring into the qualifying at Roland Garros.

Napolitano qualified in Paris in his first career attempt, all the way back in 2017. He beat Marton Fucsovics and Alexander Bublik to get there, and then upset Mischa Zverev (then ranked No. 31) in the first round before losing to Diego Schwzartzman.

But he hasn’t won more than a round in qualifying since then, in three attempts. And he hasn’t even been ranked high enough to even try since the fall version all the way back in 2020.

Never give up

The first takeaway from this is a reiteration of one of the reasons why there are so many tennis players coming out of Italy these days.

Napolitano wasn’t making any money and likely was on a pretty limited budget. But because of the sheer number of tournaments at the ITF and Challenger level in Italy, he was able to keep competing and playing while not having to travel far from home, as he tried to turn it around.

The other takeaway is the truism in tennis, even as so many try to retire players when they’re having a tough time: you never know. If you have the level – or believe you do – why not keep trying until you literally just run out of options?

Napolitano is a great example of that perseverence.

With Djokovic out, Alcaraz and Sinner never in, and other upsets, the Italian Open is certainly wide open.

You’d almost make defending champ Daniil Medvedev the favorite, even despite the surface.

But when you look at the so-so lineup Monday, the bottom half of the draw at the third-round stage, that point is probably even more clear.

Canadian fans – and FAA fans – in North America had to set their alarms again, as he took on Alex de Minaur. They were, in the end, disappointed.

(Rome is 6 hours ahead of EDT)

************************************

Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 1000 (Joint event with the WTA Tour)
Dates: May 8 – 19, 2024
Prize money: €7,877,020
Draws: S96 – D32

Monday, May 13, 2024
Final results

Singles, third round

Canadian content

[9] Alex de Minaur (AUS) def. [18] Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 67 (2) 64 64

Upsets

[Q] Alexandre Muller (FRA) def [4] Andrey Rublev (RUS) 36 63 62

[17] Sebastian Baez (ARG) def [10] Holger Rune (DEN) 26 62 63

Seeds scuffling

[2] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) def [Q] Hamad Medjedovic (SRB) 76 (5) 26 75

[21] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) def. [WC] Stefano Napolitano (ITA) 62 46 64

Seeds advancing

[6] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) def. [27] Cameron Norrie (GBR) 62 76 (1)

[7] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) def. [25] Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) 76 (7) 62

[14] Tommy Paul  (USA) def. Dominik Koepfer (GER) 64 63

Doubles, second round

Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) / Mate Pavic (CRO) def [5] Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) 61 62

************************************

Novak Djokovic, hopefully with no ill effects of the accident with the fan’s water bottle on Friday, was back on Centrale. But there may have been some effects.

He faced a Canadian – okay, a Cana-Chilean – in Alejandro Tabilo. The Toronto native has lifted himself into seeding contention at the big 1000s and majors.

This was the first time he squared off with the legend. And he didn’t face the best version – to say the least. But he also played like a champ.

Another one to watch was a rematch between Ben Shelton and Zhizhen Zhang of China. Their first meeting, in the qualifying at the Australian Open a couple of years ago, was an epic of the genre.

(Rome is 6 hours ahead of EDT)

************************************

Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 1000 (Joint event with the WTA Tour)
Dates: May 8 – 19, 2024
Prize money: €7,877,020
Draws: S96 – D32

Sunday, May 12, 2024
Final results

Canadian content

[29] Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) def [1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) 62 63

Upsets

Zhizhen Zhang (CHN) def [12] Ben Shelton (USA) 62 64

Third-set breakers

Nuno Borges (POR) def. [Q] Francesco Passaro (ITA) 46 76 (8) 76 (4)

[Q] Thiago Monteiro (BRA) def Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 62 46 76 (6)

Seeds advancing

[3] Alexander Zverev (GER) def. Luciano Darderi (ITA) 76 (3) 62

[8] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) def [Q] Terence Atmane (FRA) 76 (3) 63

[11] Taylor Fritz (USA) def. [24] Sebastian Korda (USA) 63 64

[16] Karen Khachanov (RUS) def. [20] Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) 62 64 

Doubles, second round

Francisco Cerundolo / Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) def [6] Kevin Krawietz / Tim Puetz (GER) 67 (6) 75 [10-7]

Sander Gille / Joran Vliegen (BEL) def [8] Hugo Nys (MON) / Jan Zielinski (POL) 57 63 [10-8] 

[2] Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Matthew Ebden (AUS) def. [WC] Matteo Arnaldi / Francesco Passaro (ITA) 62 62

[3] Rajeev Ram (USA) / Joe Salisbury (GBR) def Jamie Murray (GBR) / Michael Venus (NZL) 75 62

[7] Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Nikola Mektic (CRO) def. [ALT] Sebastian Baez (ARG) / Thiago Seyboth Wild (BRA) 64 62

Doubles, first round

[1] Marcel Granollers (ESP) / Horacio Zeballos (ARG) def. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) / Arthur Fils (FRA) [ALT] Henry Patten (GBR) / Harri Heliovaara (FIN) 61 76 (3)

************************************

The third round concluded Sunday, with 2023 finalist Anhelina Kalinina putting all those points she has to defend to the test on the Centrale against Maria Sakkari. And losing them.

Cana-Kiwi Erin Routliffe and this week’s partner, Coco Gauff, went at it again and pull off a nice one against the May-December pairing of Mirra Andreeva and Vera Zvonareva.

And notably, there were two women’s matches on the Centrale that feature Ukrainians against … Russians or Belarussians. Which means no handshake.

Which is always just an awkward if understandable situation – especially for those in the stands who aren’t aware of the fact that this has been understood for a couple of years already.

(Rome is 6 hours ahead of EDT)

************************************

Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: WTA 1000 (Joint event with the ATP Tour)
Dates: May 8 – 19, 2024
Prize money: $5,509,771
Draws: S96 – D32

Sunday, May 12, 2024
Final results

Singles, third round

Upsets

[PR] Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) def [27] Elise Mertens (BEL) 62 60

Seeds scuffling

[9] Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) def. Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 64 57 61

[24] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) def Mayar Sherif (EGY) 62 67 (6) 63

Seeds advancing

[2] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) def. [32] Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 64 62

[5] Maria Sakkari (GRE) def. [30] Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) 76 (4) 60

[13] Danielle Collins (USA) def [22] Caroline Garcia (FRA) 63 63

[16] Elina Svitolina (UKR) def. [23] Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) 63 63

Other results

[Q] Rebecca Sramkova (SVK) def Sofia Kenin (USA) 64 46 64

Doubles, second round

[3] Coco Gauff (USA) / Erin Routliffe (NZL) def. Mirra Andreeva / Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 46 64 [10-8]

[1] Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) / Elise Mertens (BEL) def. Sofia Kenin / Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 64 46 [11-9]

[8] Caroline Dolehide / Desirae Krawczyk (USA) def. Anhelina Kalinina / Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 63 61

[WC] Sara Errani / Jasmine Paolini (ITA) def [WC] Anastasia Abbagnato / Aurora Zantedeschi (ITA) 62 61

************************************

On the last possible day for a Rome debut, Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime swings into action, against a potentially tough customer in Botic Van de Zandschulp.

It’s not likely to take place until the afternoon EDT, as the fourth match on scenic Pietrangeli court.

No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev and No. 10 Holger Rune (who is playing an Italian), got Centrale slots along with the highly anticipated second-round match between Rafael Nadal and No. 7 seed Hubert Hurkacz.

Nadal didn’t have much on the day, beaten easily while Medvedev got past a potentially tough one against Jack Draper.

(Rome is 6 hours ahead of EDT)

************************************

Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: ATP 1000 (Joint event with the WTA Tour)
Dates: May 8 – 19, 2024
Prize money: €7,877,020
Draws: S96 – D32

Saturday, May 11, 2024
Final results

Singles, second round

Canadian content

[18] Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) def [Q] Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) 61 76 (6)

Upsets

Dominik Koepfer (GER) def [22] Frances Tiafoe (USA) 64 62

[Q] Hamad Medjedovic (SRB) def [30] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 76 (4) 64

[Q] Alexandre Muller (FRA) def [31] Arthur Fils  (FRA) 75 63

Seeds scuffling

[4] Andrey Rublev (RUS) def. Marcos Giron (USA) 57 64 75

[6] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) def Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 67 (1) 64 64

[27] Cameron Norrie (NOR) def. Jaume Munar (ESP) 63 16 63

Seeds rolling

[2] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) def. Jack Draper (GBR) 75 64

[7] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) def. [PR] Rafael Nadal (ESP) 61 63

[9] Alex de Minaur (AUS) def. Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) 63 62

[10] Holger Rune (DEN) def. Luca Nardi (ITA) 64 64

[14] Tommy Paul (USA) def. Aslan Karatsev (RUS) 64 62

[17] Sebastian Baez (ARG) def. Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 76 (3) 76 (6)

[21] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) def. Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) 62 76 (6)

[25] Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) def. Thiago Seyboth Wild (BRA) 63 75

Other results

[WC] Stefano Napolitano (ITA) def. [LL] Juncheng Shang (CHN) 67 (3) 61 60

Doubles, first round

[3] Rajeev Ram (USA) / Joe Salisbury (GBR) def. Sebastian Korda (USA) / Jordan Thompson (AUS) 46 62 [10-8]

[5] Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) def. Nathaniel Lammons / Jackson Withdrow (USA) 64 76 (1)

[8] Hugo Nys (MON) / Jan Zielinski (POL) def Ariel Behar (URU) / Adam Pavlasek (CZE) 63 36 [10-7]

Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) / Mate Pavic (CRO) def. Sadio Doumbia / Fabien Reboul (FRA) [ALT] John-Patrick Smith (AUS) / Cristian Rodriguez (COL) 64 62

Simone Bolelli / Andrea Vavassori (ITA) def. [ALT] Christopher Eubanks (USA) / John Peers (AUS) 76 (4) 63

Alexander Bublik (KAZ) / Ben Shelton (USA) def Marcelo Melo (BRA) / Alexander Zverev (GER) 26 63 [10-7]

Rafael Matos (BRA) / Andres Molteni (ARG) def. Adrian Mannarino (FRA) / Pedro Martinez (ESP) 63 60

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