2025 Italian Open Rome WTA Draw With Swiatek, Sabalenka, Gauff & More

The draw for the last WTA 1000 tournament of the season on clay, the 2025 Italian Open, has been released, and once again, it didn't disappoint.

Like at all important clay-court tournaments this year, Iga Swiatek will enter the Italian Open as the defending champion. Last year, the Polish player won titles in Madrid, Rome, and Paris, which means she has to defend them all this year.

However, her title defense didn't go well in Madrid, where she lost in the semi-finals to Coco Gauff. Aryna Sabalenka won the title in the Spanish capital, and she might be an even bigger favorite to win in Rome now than Swiatek.

The Belarusian is the top seed, but her draw is incredibly challenging. Thanks to a first-round bye, which all the seeded players have, Sabalenka will start in the second round against Dayana Yastremska or Anastasia Potapova.

Should she pass that test, Sabalenka would take on either Katie Boulter or one of two former French Open finalists, Sofia Kenin and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who are both in Sabalenka's part.

On the opposite side of the draw is the second-seeded Iga Swiatek. She has a big challenge ahead of her because if she fails to significantly outscore Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff in Rome, Swiatek won't enter the French Open as one of the top two seeds.

Swiatek will play against the winner of the match between Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Elina Avanesyan in the second round of the tournament. Her third-round opponent can be Danielle Collins.

Jessica Pegula is the third seed, and she's in Swiatek's half of the draw. The American will meet a qualifier or fellow compatriot, Ashlyn Krueger, in the second round of the tournament.

Coco Gauff, on the other hand, is in Sabalenka's half. The 21-year-old could also play against a qualifier or home wild card, Arianna Zucchini. Gauff could meet Belinda Bencic already in the third round.

There are also plenty of talented unseeded players in the draw, which means there are many potential matchups, which are very exciting. For example, former French Open finalist, Marketa Vondrousova, could play against the 10th-seeded Emma Navarro if she beats Xinyu Wang.

Former US Open winner Emma Raducanu will start against a qualifier, and if she passes the test, her second-round opponent will be Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Naomi Osaka is another unseeded player in the draw whom many likely wanted to avoid. The four-time Grand Slam champion will start against Sara Errani, and if she beats the Italian, Osaka will take on Paula Badosa.