The Italian Open, also known as the Rome Masters, is an annual professional tennis tournament held in Rome, Italy. It is part of the ATP Tour for men and the WTA Tour for women and is played on outdoor clay courts. The Italian Open is one of the most prestigious and historic events on the professional tennis circuit and is one of the nine ATP Tour Masters 1000 events and a Premier 5 event on the WTA Tour.
The tournament has a long history, with the first edition held in 1930. It has traditionally been held in May and has been played at the Foro Italico complex in Rome since 1935. The tournament attracts many of the top players in the world and has a strong field of competitors. The Italian Open is an important event on the clay court calendar and is seen as a key preparation event for the French Open, which is the next Grand Slam tournament on the calendar and is also played on clay.
The Italian Open has been won by some of the greatest players in the history of tennis, including Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, and Rafael Nadal, who has a record nine titles at the event. The Italian Open is a popular event with tennis fans and is widely followed by enthusiasts around the world.