The ATP tournament at the Italian Open has seen only a handful of different winners in the last two decades, with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic dominating.
Nadal has won a record 10 titles in Rome, while Djokovic has claimed six — making it his most successful clay-court event.
The historic tournament was first held in Milan in 1930 before moving to the Foro Italico in the Italian capital in 1935.
Here, we look at the five players who have won the Italian Open men’s event since Nadal made his debut in 2005.
Rafael Nadal – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2021
Nadal defeated six different opponents in his 10 Italian Open final triumphs: Guillermo Coria (2005), Roger Federer (2006, 2013), Fernando Gonzalez (2007), Djokovic (2009, 2012, 2019, 2021), David Ferrer (2010), and Alexander Zverev (2018).
The ‘King of Clay’ holds an incredible 70-9 (89%) record from his 19 appearances in Rome between his debut in 2005 and his likely last outing in 2024. He was also a runner-up in 2011 and 2014 and has only lost before the quarter-finals three times.
The Spaniard recently named his epic five-set victories over Coria and Federer in the respective 2005 and 2006 championship matches as his standout moments at the event.
“At the end is true that I won 10 times here,” Nadal said in a press conference in Rome. “But if you tell me my memories, I mean, for me I’m much more fresh the memories of the first two victories in five sets against Coria and against Roger than the other days.
“Even if I had amazing, good matches against Novak, against great players. But that’s what I think the people remember more. Me, as experience, as a player, too. If I have to pick, I going to say the first one and then the second one.”
READ MORE: 10 sensational Rafael Nadal records that may never be broken
Novak Djokovic – 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2022
Djokovic has overcome five different players in his six final triumphs in Rome: Stan Wawrinka (2008), Nadal (2011, 2014), Federer (2015), Diego Schwartzman (2020), and Stefanos Tsitsipas (2022).
The Serbian has a superb 68-12 (85%) record at the Italian Open and is also a six-time finalist (2009, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021). His third round defeat to Alejandro Tabilo at the 2024 edition of the event was his first loss before the quarter-finals in Rome in 18 appearances.
Andy Murray – 2016
Andy Murray downed Djokovic 6–3, 6–3 in the final of the 2016 Italian Open to claim his only title at the ATP Masters 1000 event in his lone final appearance.
The Brit’s victory, which was one of nine titles Murray won during a brilliant 2016 season, was the first Rome triumph by a player other than Nadal or Djokovic for 12 years.
Alexander Zverev – 2017
In the 2017 Rome championship match, Alexander Zverev defeated Djokovic 6–4, 6–3 to claim his first ATP Masters 1000 title.
The German was the first player born in the 1990s to win a Masters title and he was also an Italian Open runner-up the following year, when he lost to Nadal.
Daniil Medvedev – 2023
Daniil Medvedev saw off Holger Rune 7–5, 7–5 in the 2023 Italian Open final in the first title match at the event not featuring either Nadal or Djokovic since 2004.
The Russian had lost all three of his previous matches in Rome and this remains the only clay-court ATP title he has won in his career.
READ MORE: Players with the most wins at a single ATP tournament, ft. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic
