Internazionali BNL d'Italia
ATP Masters 1000 Series
May 12th to 19th
at The Foro Italico
No rest for the world's top tennis players as they move from Madrid to Rome for back to back Masters 1000 events. Having met in the final on Sunday in Madrid, the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal and the man in form, Stanislas Wawrinka, have been drawn in the same half of the draw this time. If they are to meet in Rome, it will be at the semi final stage. It will also mean that Stan has knocked out the top seed and world number 1, Novak Djokovic, in the 3rd round.
Rafa meanwhile, will have another quarter final match with his compatriot, the Spanish number 1, David Ferrer. His semi final opponent in Madrid, Pablo Andujar, hasn't qualified for this event.
Also in the top half of the draw is Tomas Berdych, who beat Britain's number 1, Andy Murray last week.
Murray has been drawn in the bottom half of the draw and if seedings go to plan, will play Roger Federer in the semi finals. The Japanese lad who beat Federer in Madrid, Kei Nishikori, is in this half of the draw and is Murray's potential 3rd round opponent. Andy's 2nd round opponent will be the Spaniard, Marcel Granollers, who's ranked in the 30s, but will be a typically difficult Spanish contestant on clay.
Grigor Dimitrov, who beat Djokovic last week, is in this half of the draw, as are Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Martin Del Potro and Richard Gasquet.
Men's draw
2013 Grand Slams and ATP Masters 1000 Series
14 Jan: Australian Open, Melbourne. - Winner, Novak Djokovic
7 Mar: BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells. - Winner, Rafael Nadal
20 Mar: Sony Open, Miami. - Winner, Andy Murray
14 Apr: Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Monte-Carlo. - Winner, Novak Djokovic
5 May: Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid. - Winner, Rafael Nadal
12 May: Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome.
26 May: French Open, Roland Garros, Paris.
24 June: Wimbledon.
5 Aug: Rogers Cup, Montreal.
11 Aug: Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati.
26 Aug: US Open, Flushing Meadows, New York.
6 Oct: Shanghai Rolex Masters, Shanghai.
28 Oct: BNP Paribas Masters, Paris.
4 Nov: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, O2 Arena, London.
Meanwhile, in the women's competition, Britain's Laura Robson starts her campaign with a first ever meeting with the multi Grand Slam winning older half of the remarkable sisters, Venus Williams. That's Monday's second match on the Centrale Court.
If she does beat Venus, then guess who she's got in the next round. Yes, the other half of the double act, Serena Williams!
Women's draw