The tennis tour has gained momentum on clay. Following the Madrid Masters, which was brilliantly won by Russian Andrey Rublev, a similar tournament has already started in Rome. Recall that last year, it was sensationally conquered by Daniil Medvedev. Will the tennis players from Russia be able to reach the title at the main tournament on this surface—the Parisian Roland Garros? We will find out very soon. ATP Masters 1000. Rome (Italy). May 8-19. Clay, open courts. Participant list includes Novak Djokovic (world number one at the time of tournament entry), Daniil Medvedev (4), Alexander Zverev (5), Andrey Rublev (6), Holger Rune (7), Hubert Hurkacz (8), Grigor Dimitrov (9), Casper Ruud (10), Karen Khachanov (17), Roman Safiullin (41), Aslan Karatsev (43), Pavel Kotov (69). Full entry list. The tournament in Italy originated in 1930 in Milan and moved to its current location—the Foro Italico in Rome—in 1935.
Notable champions here include Nicola Pietrangeli, Ilie Năstase, Rod Laver, Björn Borg, Mats Wilander, Thomas Muster, Gustavo Kuerten, Andre Agassi. Novak Djokovic has won the most here—six titles, followed by Rafael Nadal with ten titles. The current champion is Russian Daniil Medvedev, seeded second this year in the absence of injured Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, with Serbian Djokovic seeded first. Also participating are Madrid 2024 champion Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, Roman Safiullin, Aslan Karatsev, and Pavel Kotov. WTA-1000. Rome (Italy). May 7-18. Clay, open courts. Participant list: Iga Świątek (1), Aryna Sabalenka (2), Coco Gauff (3), Elena Rybakina (4), Maria Sakkari (6), Zheng Qinwen (7), Marketa Vondrousova (8), Ons Jabeur (9), Daria Kasatkina (11), Ekaterina Alexandrova (16), Liudmila Samsonova (17), Veronika Kudermetova (19),
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (22), Anna Kalinskaya (26), Anastasia Potapova (36), Mirra Andreeva (39), Anna Blinkova (45), Diana Shnaider (62), Elina Avanesyan (67). The women’s tournament has been held since the same year, 1930. Chris Evert holds the record for most titles here—five. Gabriela Sabatini, Conchita Martinez, and Serena Williams each have four wins. Russia’s Maria Sharapova distinguished herself here three times. The reigning champion is Elena Rybakina, currently seeded fourth. From the top-10, only American Jessica Pegula (5) is absent. Eleven Russian women were on the entry list, but Mirra Andreeva has already been eliminated in the first round. Competing are Daria Kasatkina, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Liudmila Samsonova, Veronika Kudermetova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Anna Kalinskaya, Anastasia Potapova, Anna Blinkova, Diana Shnaider, and Elina Avanesyan. ATP-250. Lyon (France). May 19-25. Clay, open courts. Participant list: Ugo Humbert (14),
Alexander Bublik (18), Frances Tiafoe (21), Francisco Cerundolo (22), Tomas Martin Etcheverry (27), Felix Auger-Aliassime (35), Alejandro Tabilo (38), Gael Monfils (40). Full entry list. The clay tournament in Lyon has been held since 2017 and is a sort of successor to a similar competition in Nice. Champions here include Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Dominic Thiem, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. The current champion is Arthur Fils. ATP-250. Geneva (Switzerland). May 19-25. Clay, open courts. Participant list: Casper Ruud (6), Taylor Fritz (13), Ben Shelton (15), Tommy Paul (16), Sebastian Baez (19), Nicolas Jarry (23), Jan-Lennard Struff (24), Tallon Griekspoor (25), Aslan Karatsev (48). Full entry list. The tournament in Geneva has been held since 1980, though from 1992 to 2014 it was a “challenger” category event. Stan Wawrinka and Casper Ruud each won here twice, and the current champion is Nicolas Jarry. WTA-500. Strasbourg (France). May 19-25. Clay, open courts. Participant list: Jessica Pegula (5),
Jasmine Paolini (13), Beatriz Haddad Maia (14), Danielle Collins (15), Ekaterina Alexandrova (16), Liudmila Samsonova (17), Elina Svitolina (18), Madison Keys (20), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (22), Anna Kalinskaya (26). Full entry list. The tournament has been held since 1987. Italian Silvia Farina Elia and Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues each won here three times. Russia’s Maria Sharapova (2010) and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (2018) also distinguished themselves. The reigning champion is Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who defeated Anna Blinkova in the final. WTA-250. Rabat (Morocco). May 19-25. Clay, open courts. Participant list: Yuan Yue (37), Anna Blinkova (45), Lucia Bronzetti (46), Arantxa Rus (47), Xiyu Wang (52), Elisabetta Cocciaretto (54), Sara Sorribes Tormo (55), Zhu Lin (57), Elina Avanesyan (65). Full entry list. The women’s tournament in Morocco has been played since 2001. It was held in Casablanca (2001-2004), Rabat (2005-2006), Fez (2007-2012), Marrakech (2013-2015), and returned to Rabat in 2016. Among the champions here was Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (2017), and Ekaterina Makarova reached the final in 2009. The current champion is Italian Lucia Bronzetti, who has entered this year to defend her title.
Also listed are Russians Anna Blinkova and Elina Avanesyan. Grand Slam. “Roland Garros”. Paris (France). May 26 – June 9. Clay, open courts. Participant list includes Novak Djokovic (1), Jannik Sinner (2), Carlos Alcaraz (3), Daniil Medvedev (4), Alexander Zverev (5), Casper Ruud (6), Stefanos Tsitsipas (7), Andrey Rublev (8), Karen Khachanov (17), Roman Safiullin (38), Aslan Karatsev (45), Pavel Kotov (69). Full entry list. “Roland Garros” is the only Grand Slam tournament played on clay. It has been held since 1891. Over the long history of the competition, Russians have excelled, including Yevgeny Kafelnikov (1996). The record holder for the number of titles in Paris is Rafael Nadal (14). The Spaniard, who has been struggling with a series of injuries, turns 38 during this year’s edition, and many observers believe that Rafa will end his career and say goodbye to “Roland Garros” this year. The reigning champion is Serbian Novak Djokovic, who could lose his ATP ranking leadership if he does not succeed in this edition. Also attempting to shine in Paris is the 2015 champion Swiss Stan Wawrinka, who is the oldest of this trio at 39.
No other active tennis player has won at “RG” more than once. Grand Slam. “Roland Garros”. Paris (France). May 26 – June 8. Clay, open courts. Participant list includes Iga Świątek (1), Aryna Sabalenka (2), Coco Gauff (3), Elena Rybakina (4), Jessica Pegula (5), Maria Sakkari (6), Zheng Qinwen (7), Marketa Vondrousova (8), Daria Kasatkina (11), Ekaterina Alexandrova (16), Liudmila Samsonova (17), Veronika Kudermetova (19), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (22), Anna Kalinskaya (26), Anastasia Potapova (36), Mirra Andreeva (43), Anna Blinkova (45), Diana Shnaider (62), Elina Avanesyan (67), Maria Timofeeva (96), Kamilla Rahimova (97), Erika Andreeva (100/LD). Full entry list. The record holder for “Roland Garros” in the Open Era in terms of the number of titles is American Chris Evert – seven. Steffi Graf has six victories. Russians distinguished themselves in Paris include Anastasia Myskina (2004), Svetlana Kuznetsova (2009), and Maria Sharapova (2012, 2014). The reigning champion is Iga Świątek, who has three titles (2020, 2022, 2023).