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Preview | WTA Rome Open 2025 – Sabalenka and Gauff to keep momentum, Swiatek seeks redemption

Originally posted on TennisUpToDate.com | Last updated May 6, 2025 9:58 AM ET

The 2025 Rome Open, also known as the Italian Open, will be played starting this Tuesday, May 6th, with Aryna Sabalenka as the main favorite after a remarkable week at the Madrid Open, lifting her second consecutive WTA 1000 title. Our Preview looks ahead to the second clay-court WTA 1000 of the season.

Finalist Coco Gauff and 3-time Rome champion Iga Swiatek appear as the main contenders to break the world No. 1's streak. Mirra Andreeva and Madison Keys will be other names to consider in the last tournament before Roland Garros for the top players.

The Big Contenders

The world No. 1 is arguably in her best moment, at least the ranking reflects it, reaching a record of over 11,000 points, something that previously only Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek had achieved. With almost 3,500 points separating her from her immediate pursuer, the Belarusian arrives after lifting the title in Madrid – her 8th WTA 1000 title – and will seek the Rome and Madrid double in the same year, something that only three players have achieved before.

Coco Gauff is another who will arrive with high goals in the Italian capital. The American reached her first final of the season in Madrid, where she fell to Sabalenka, although she had several good performances, including an impressive victory against the defending champion Swiatek 6-1, 6-1. The world No. 3 has already shown that she is one of the best on clay courts, and a change to a slightly slower court than in Madrid could be a point in her favor for an even better performance than in Madrid.

Regardless of Iga Swiatek's current form, she is always a favorite in clay-court tournaments, especially when it comes to the defending champion of the tournament. She won the title in 2021, 2022, and 2024, and has a 20-1 record in her last four editions, with her only 'loss' in the 2023 quarterfinals when she retired in the third set of the match against Rybakina (6-2, 6-7, 2-2, ret.). The Pole has a new opportunity to go out and seek the title in conditions that are comfortable for her. In 7 tournaments played this year, she reached the quarterfinals three times and the semifinals another four. She has already shown that she has lacked a final push to return to a final, but the level undoubtedly remains for the 4-time French Open champion.

The Second Tier

With three clear favorites, there are still a couple of players who it would not be a surprise to see in the final or win the title. Australian Open champion Madison Keys showed that she can sustain her level on clay courts after reaching the quarterfinals in Madrid, only falling to Swiatek. The world No. 5 has not dropped her level so far this season and has a 23-5 record in what is the best season of her career so far.

Mirra Andreeva is another who will arrive in Rome with high expectations, also after reaching the quarterfinals in Madrid. With two WTA 1000 titles to her name this season, the teenager – who just turned 18 – continues to be one of the names that no one wants to face in a tournament. On clay courts, she already has a Roland Garros semifinal, although this time she will seek her first victory in Rome after falling in her debut in her only appearance in the tournament a year ago.

Names to Watch

Elina Svitolina (No. 14) will arrive at the tournament with confidence after semifinals in Madrid and having returned to the top 15 for the first time since 2022, before her break from her career due to maternity. The Ukrainian has shown maturity in the important moments, and in Rome, she will seek to maintain the momentum of her previous weeks. She already lifted the title in 2017 and 2018 and has a remarkable 41 wins against top-10 players.

Rome will be an opportunity to see the return of Paula Badosa (No. 10) to clay courts, a surface that suits her very well – true to the Spanish tradition – and where she will mark her return after an injury that kept her out for 6 weeks since she retired at the Miami Open before facing Alexandra Eala. The former No. 2 has already reached the semifinals in Rome.

Also returning to the court will be former Roland Garros finalist Karolina Muchova, whose injuries have also not left her in peace. There is no doubt that when the Czech is physically well, she is easily a top-10 level player, and she feels more than comfortable on clay courts, being one of the players with the best variety in terms of slices and dropshots. The 28-year-old will have a new opportunity to show her talent after 6 weeks off the court.

This article first appeared on TennisUpToDate.com and was syndicated with permission.

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