Italian Open Outright Tips: Stefanos Tsitsipas to Win the ATP Italian Open
The preparations for this month’s French Open go up another gear with the Italian Open, which takes place at Foro Italico in Rome, and all eyes will be on home favourite Jannik Sinner following the expiry of his doping ban.
The men’s world number one accepted a three-month ban for failing two doping tests in March 2024 and he returns to action for the first time since winning the Australian Open in January.
Having withdrawn from competition in Madrid last time out, Carlos Alcaraz is also set to take his place in Rome alongside defending champion Alexander Zverev.
The women’s draw is spearheaded by Aryna Sabalenka, who brushed aside Coco Gauff to win the Madrid Open title last week, and Iga Swiatek as she bids to rule in Rome for a fourth time in the previous five seasons.
Tip 1 - Stefanos Tsitsipas each-way in the ATP Italian Open @ SP
This competition falls only two weeks before the start of the French Open, and with some players keen to save themselves for the second Grand Slam of the season, this tournament can throw up some surprise finalists.
Daniil Medvedev defeated Holger Rune in the 2023 final while last year’s win for world number two Zverev came against Nicolas Jarry.
With Sinner best watched on his comeback and Alcaraz having injury concerns surrounding him, it could be worth taking a chance in the men’s competition and Stefanos Tsitsipas fits the criteria.
The Greek star finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic in this competition in 2022, was a semi-finalist in 2023 and also made the quarter-final last year, supporting the case for clay being his best surface.
Tsitsipas is a former French Open finalist and he won a big title at the Dubai Tennis Championships as recently as March, showing that he is in good enough form to stake his claim.
Housed in the bottom half of the draw, Tsitsipas avoids Sinner and the in-form Casper Ruud, and he may have the beating of Zverev in his mini-section, given the German’s recent drop in performance.
Tip 2 - Iga Swiatek to win the WTA Italian Open @ SP
Sabalenka is likely to be all the rage in the Italian Open betting, given the women’s world number one was crowned champion in Madrid last time out and has made four straight finals on the WTA Tour, but her closest rival Swiatek could be ready to hit back.
At her best, Swiatek is the dominant force on clay and she has taken this title in three of the last four seasons, showcasing her slow-court credentials.
Swiatek has won the French Open on four occasions, too, despite still being only 23 years of age, and she has the benefit of avoiding Sabalenka, Gauff and the dangerous Mirra Andreeva until the final.
The prolific Pole was comfortably beaten 6-1 6-1 by Gauff in her recent Madrid Open semi-final, but that was too bad to be true, with earlier round wins over Linda Noskova, Diana Shnaider and Madison Keys showing her to be in good light.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation