Italian Open 2025 Preview - Betting Odds, Live Stream, Clay Experts & Key Storylines

Freetips staff

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Last updated: 06 May 2025

Freetips staff 06 May 2025

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The Italian Open is held annually at Rome's Foro Italico on historic red clay courts.
The 2025 edition features 96 singles players and 32 doubles teams over 14 days.
Top players to watch: Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

Iga Swiatek is the reigning champion (Getty) (credit: Getty)

Italian Open Preview

The Italian Open, officially known as Internazionale BNL d’Italia, is a cornerstone of the clay-court season. Established in 1930, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious tournaments in women’s tennis.

Held annually at the iconic Foro Italico in Rome since 1935, the event is celebrated for its historic setting, passionate Italian fans, and the electric atmosphere that only the Eternal City can offer.

The tournament was held in Milan in its first few years.
Italian Open Preview
Tournament Significance
Tournament Format & Schedule
Playing Conditions & Weather
Players to Watch
Recent Champions
Tournament Records
2024 Match Statistics
How to Watch & Live Stream the Italian Open
Betting on the Italian Open

Tournament Significance

At times in history, the Italian Open was considered as prestigious as Roland-Garros, if not more. Known for its classic red clay and intimate courts, such as the famous Pietrangeli, the tournament serves as a vital warm-up for Roland Garros.

The tournament is set to get its first retractable roof in 2026.

Tournament Format & Schedule

Singles Draw: 98 players
Doubles Draw: 32 teams
Seeds: 32
Qualifying: 48-player field, with 12 spots in the main draw
Wildcards: Up to 8 granted
Tournament Duration: 14 days
Main Draw Start: Tuesday
Finals: Saturday (singles) and Sunday (doubles)

The tournament structure grants byes to all seeds while providing qualifiers with opportunities to progress.

Playing Conditions & Weather

The Italian Open is played on traditional red clay courts at sea level, offering slower and more classic clay-court conditions compared to higher-altitude events like Madrid. These conditions favor players with excellent movement, patience, and tactical skills on clay.

Rome’s slower clay courts are ideal for players who excel in grinding rallies and using heavy topspin, contrasting sharply with the pace seen in Madrid.

May Weather: Warm and sunny throughout, with temperatures ranging from 22°C to 28°C (72°F to 82°F). Occasional showers can add unpredictability, given all courts are open to elements.

Player Quotes:

Emma Raducanu: “It’s such a beautiful venue with so much history. It’s a really amazing place that we are very lucky to be able to play on.”
Elina Svitolina: “The people, the atmosphere they make. Doesn’t matter when you are playing. There are a lot of people watching, cheering.”

Players to Watch

Aryna Sabalenka - Arrives in Rome as the Madrid champion and top performer of the season.
Iga Swiatek - A three-time Rome winner, looks to bounce back after recent clay setbacks.
Mirra Andreeva - The teenage Top 10 star, is still chasing her first main draw win in Rome.
Elina Svitolina - A two-time champion, began her clay season with 11 straight wins.

Recent Champions

2024: Iga Swiatek
2023: Elena Rybakina
2022: Iga Swiatek
2021: Iga Swiatek
2020: Simona Halep
2019: Karolina Pliskova

11 of its last 14 editions have been won by Grand Slam Champions

Tournament Records

Six: There have been six successful title defenses since 2000.
Five: Chris Evert has won the most titles at the Italian Open, winning on five occasions.
Three: In 2024, Iga Swiatek became the third player to win Madrid and Rome in the same year.
2019: The last time there was an unseeded finalist (Johanna Konta).

2024 Match Statistics

Average match time: One hour and 45 minutes
Aces per match per player: 1.86
Double Faults per match per player: 3.65
Breakpoint saved percentage: 54%
Tournament first-serve win percentage: 61.2%
Percentage of matches won by lower-ranked player: 37.9%

How to Watch & Live Stream the Italian Open

If you’re unable to watch on TV, platforms like Stake and bet365 offer live streaming.

Steps to Access Live Streaming:

Register an account with Stake or bet365.
Make a qualifying deposit (if required).
Go to the live streaming section and select Italian Open.
Watch & bet in real-time.

Many platforms require an active account with a funded balance to access live streaming.

Betting on the Italian Open

Futures Betting:

Tournament Winner – Bet on the overall champion.
To Reach the Final – Predict the finalists.
Stage of Elimination – Bet on when a player exits.
Head-to-Head Matchups – Who advances further?

Match-Specific Betting:

Match Winner – Pick a player to win.
Set Betting – Predict the exact scoreline.
Game Handicap – Wager on a player with a spread.
Total Games Over/Under – Bet on total games played.

In-Play Betting:

Next Game Winner – Predict the next service game winner.
Next Break of Serve – Who will break first?
Live Set & Match Winner – Adjust bets based on match flow.

Live betting offers dynamic odds shifts based on match momentum.

Verdict

Iga Swiatek is the defending champion and has a terrific record at this venue. On the other hand, Aryna Sabalenka has the form on her side and reached the final in Rome last year. So, these two are the obvious picks for the outright winners.

Iga Swiatek

Tournament Winner

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Aryna Sabalenka

Tournament Winner

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