'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The top players on tour will compete at the 2024 Italian Open in Rome next week.
World No. 4 Daniil Medvedev is the defending champion in the men's singles competition and Elena Rybakina will look to defend her crown on the women's circuit. Rybakina has been impressive in the last few weeks, chalking up a title-winning run at the Stuttgart Open and a semifinal appearance at the 2024 Madrid Open.
Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, and reigning Monte-Carlo Masters champion Stefanos Tsitsipas are also expected to feature at the Italian Open. Notable absentees from Rome will include two of the top three players in the world, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. While the Spaniard has been ruled out due to forearm pain, Sinner has opted to withdraw from the event due to a hip injury.
On that note, let's take a look at six main tour players who will miss the 2024 Italian Open in Rome.
6) Simona Halep
Former World No. 1 Simona Halep will sit out the 2024 Italian Open in Rome next week. The Romanian had been away from the women's tour for 18 months due to a doping ban. She returned in April at the Miami Open and was eliminated in the first round by Paula Badosa.
Halep shared an update about her fitness ahead of the Madrid Open and said that she would need more time to prepare herself physically and compete at the highest level.
"Unfortunately my body needs a little more time to be ready and I have made the tough decision not to play in Madrid,” Simona Halep said on Instagram.
“Tough because I want to be back on tour asap, but experience tells me not to rush. Thank you to @MutuaMadridOpen who offered me the wildcard and to my fans for your continued support,” she added.
Halep has not been included in the entry list of the Italian Open. She is a three-time finalist in Rome and managed to lift the title in 2020, where she defeated Czech player Karolina Pliskova in the finals.
5) Andy Murray
World No. 57 Andy Murray has also been ruled out of the 2024 Italian Open.
Murray put up a sensational performance in the Miami Open last month by reaching the third round. He defeated the likes of Matteo Berrettini and Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first two rounds but couldn't edge past Tomas Machac in a close three-set bout.
To add to his misery, the 36-year-old rolled his ankle in the deciding set against Machac. Murray has been away from the men's tour since then and is also doubtful for the 2024 French Open. His spokesperson recently gave an update about his situation.
“Latest update from Andy is that he is now out of the walking boot and will not be having surgery on his ankle,” a spokesperson for Murray was quoted as saying.
“His rehab is going well and he is hoping to start hitting again on court soon. As yet he doesn’t have a date yet for returning to competition.”
The former World No. 1 has wished to compete in the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris this year.
4) Matteo Berrettini
Matteo Berrettini is yet another pro player who will be absent from the Italian Open this year. This marks the second consecutive year he has withdrawn from the tournament, having also missed it in 2023.
The Italian withdrew from his home ATP Masters 1000 tournament just a day before his campaign was set to kick off, citing that he wasn’t prepared to compete due to a series of physical issues.
"It's with a lot of sadness that I have to pull out," Berrettini told the media in Rome. "Just think about this tournament for 2025 and hopefully nothing is going to happen. Maybe wish that's something is going to happen so nothing is going to happen. Extra sad again for me pulling out."
3) Jannik Sinner - Home favorite forced to miss the Italian Open
World No. 2 Jannik Sinner is also forced to miss the 2024 Italian Open.
Sinner has arguably been the most in-form player on the men's tour this year. He has a 92% success ratio so far and has captured titles at the Rotterdam Open, Miami Open, and the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne.
The Italian was last seen competing in the Madrid Open where he reached the quarterfinals. He withdrew hours before his encounter against Felix Auger-Aliassime due to a hip injury and has now also opted to miss the Italian Open.
Sinner sent an emotional message to his home fans on social media after not being able to compete in Rome.
"It’s not easy to write this message but after talking to doctors and specialists again about my hip problems I have to announce that unfortunately I won’t be able to play in Rome," Jannik Sinner said
"Obviously I am very sad that I didn't recover, being one of my favorite tournaments ever. I couldn’t wait to come back and play at home in front of the Italian audience. I'll come to Rome for a few days anyway and stop by the Italian Forum.Thank you for your messages of support much appreciated! Now I will work with my team and doctors to be ready for Roland Garros. See You soon," he added.
2) Jessica Pegula
World No. 5 Jessica Pegula has been omitted from the entry list of the 2024 Italian Open.
Pegula has made a slow start to the season so far by amassing 14 wins from 20 matches, including semifinal appearances in Adelaide and Charleston. She missed the hardcourt swing in the Middle East due to a minor neck injury and was last seen competing in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers.
The American shared an update about her fitness before the Madrid Open and hoped to return to the women's tour soon.
“Hi guys not a great update but I got hurt this past week before Madrid and Unfortunately not ready to play. Thankful for some extra time at home and hope to be back ASAP,” Jessica Pegula wrote on her Instagram story.
1) Carlos Alcaraz
Lastly, clay court specialist and World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz has been forced to withdraw from the Italian Open.
Alcaraz was last seen competing at the Madrid Open, where he reached the quarterfinals. Despite a valiant effort against Andrey Rublev, he fell to the Russian in an absorbing three-set bout, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The Spaniard has been fighting fitness concerns since the beginning of the clay court swing in Europe. He missed the Monte-Carlo Masters and the Barcelona Open and has now opted to sit out of the 2024 Italian Open in Rome.
Alcaraz gave an update about his situation via social media and highlighted discomfort in his arm as the reason behind his withdrawal.
"I felt some pain after playing in Madrid, some discomfort in my arm. Today I did some tests and I have a muscle edema in my pronator teres, a consequence of my recent injury. Unfortunately I will not be able to play in Rome. I need to rest so I can recover and play 100% pain free. I am very sorry, I will see you next year," Carlos Alcaraz said.
