Top five ATP players with most singles main draw appearances at Italian Open

The annual Italian Open, held at the historic Foro Italico in Rome, is one of the premier clay-court tournaments on the ATP calendar. As an ATP Masters 1000 event, it attracts the world’s top players and serves as a crucial warm-up for Roland Garros. Known officially as the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, the tournament has witnessed countless legends etch their names into its storied history.

Over the years, several players have made Rome a regular stop in their careers, consistently returning to compete on its iconic red clay. These athletes not only left their mark with memorable performances but also hold the record for the most appearances at the Italian Open in the Open Era.

Here are the top five ATP players with most singles main draw appearances at Italian Open

Rafael Nadal - 19

Since his debut win in 2005, Rafael Nadal has become a fixture at the Foro Italico. The Spaniard has made 19 main draw appearances at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome, capturing 10 titles and compiling an impressive 70–9 win-loss record. On seven of those ten title runs, he also won the Monte Carlo Masters in the same season.

With ten titles from twelve finals, the Italian Open ranks as Nadal’s fourth most successful tournament, behind only Roland Garros, Barcelona, and Monte Carlo. From 2009 to 2014, he reached six consecutive finals in Rome, winning four of them.

Novak Djokovic - 18

With six titles at the Italian Open, Novak Djokovic stands as the second most successful player in the tournament’s history, trailing only Rafael Nadal. The Serbian great has reached the final in Rome an impressive twelve times, twice defeating Nadal in championship matches (2011, 2014) to claim the trophy.

At the iconic Foro Italico, Djokovic showcased his ability to thrive beyond hard courts—the surface where he has collected the majority of his titles. Boasting a 68–12 match record in Rome, his consistency on clay has long made him a formidable presence at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

However, his decision to skip the 2025 edition means he will fall just short of Nadal’s record 19 appearances at the tournament.

Fabio Fognini - 18

Fabio Fognini announced earlier this week that the 2025 Italian Open will mark his final appearance at an ATP Masters 1000 event. The Sanremo native, who made his tournament debut in 2006, retires from the prestigious clay-court event with a 16–17 record, highlighted by a quarterfinal run in 2018. One of his most memorable moments came in 2017, when he stunned then-World No. 1 Andy Murray in front of an electrified home crowd.

The 37-year-old bid farewell to the Foro Italico with a straight-sets loss to Britain's Jacob Fearnley, despite strong support from the Italian fans. Fearnley had to come from a break down in both sets but ultimately prevailed 6–2, 6–3 in just 80 minutes, closing the curtain on Fognini’s storied journey in Rome.

Stan Wawrinka – 18

Stan Wawrinka’s journey at the Italian Open has seen moments of brilliance, even if the title ultimately eluded him. The Swiss veteran reached the final in 2008, falling to Novak Djokovic, and made another deep run in 2015, advancing to the semi-finals before being stopped by fellow countryman Roger Federer.

Among his 27 match wins in Rome, one of the most memorable came in the 2015 quarter-finals, where he stunned the ‘King of Clay,’ Rafael Nadal—a rare and impressive feat on the Spaniard’s favored surface. While Wawrinka couldn’t clinch the crown in the Eternal City, he did find Masters 1000 success nearby in Monte Carlo, capturing the 2014 title with a victory over Federer in the final.

Roger Federer - 17

Roger Federer has come close, but the Italian Open title has remained elusive in his illustrious career. Despite 17 appearances in Rome and a respectable 34–16 match record, the Swiss legend was never able to hoist the trophy. He reached the final four times—2003, 2006, 2013, and 2015—but was denied on each occasion.

Federer fell to Spain’s Félix Mantilla in 2003, to Rafael Nadal in two epic finals in 2006 and 2013, and to Novak Djokovic in 2015. While his campaigns at the Monte-Carlo Masters similarly came up short, he did manage to capture three clay-court titles in Madrid.

Federer’s elegant serve-and-volley style, so effective on the grass courts of Wimbledon, was less suited to the slower, high-bounce conditions of clay—making his challenges on the surface all the more daunting.

Cover Credits - Tennis365