The race for an Olympic place: Spotlight on Team Italy | ITF

The race for an Olympic place: Spotlight on Team Italy

22 May 2024

The ranking cut-off date for the Olympic Tennis Event is looming large on 10 June, and there's quite a race in store for those players looking to secure a spot in the Italian team for the Games.

Here's a run down of the Italians who could confirm their spot at Paris 2024 before the deadline, which follows the conclusion of the Grand Slam event at Roland Garros.

Men

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Jannik Sinner
  • Sinner is set to make his Olympic debut at Paris 2024
  • The reigning Australian Open champion has yet to go beyond the quarter-final stage at Roland Garros, with his best result being a last eight finish on his debut there in 2020
  • He fell in the 2nd round on his last visit to Roland Garros in 2023
  • Sinner has added motivation this year in that he could usurp Novak Djokovic and end the tournament as world No. 1
Lorenzo Musetti
  • Musetti is looking to take part in his second Olympic Tennis Event at Paris 2024
  • The 22-year-old made his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, falling in the opening round of singles and the 2nd round of doubles alongside Lorenzo Sonego
  • He also featured at the 20218 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires
  • Musetti has achieved his best Grand Slam runs at Roland Garros, reaching the round of 16 in both 2021 and 2023.
Matteo Arnaldi
  • Arnaldi looks to be in a strong position to make his Olympic debut at Paris 2024
  • He made his Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros last year, reaching the 2nd round
  • The 23-year-old was ranked outside the Top 900 at the ranking cut-off for the last Olympics at Tokyo 2020 – a sign of how far he’s come over the three years since the last Games
Luciano Darderi
  • Darderi has rocketed into contention for a place at Paris 2024
  • The 22-year-old, who was born in Argentina, was ranked outside the Top 130 as recently as February but broke into the ATP Top 50 for the first time this week
  • Darderi has never played a Grand Slam main draw event but did feature at Roland Garros as a junior, reaching the second round in 2020
Lorenzo Sonego
  • Sonego has work to do if he is to make Italy’s Olympic team for a second time at Paris 2024
  • The 29-year-old, who made his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, is currently fifth on the list in a tight race among Italian men for a place at the upcoming Games
  • Sonego has points to defend at this year’s Roland Garros too, having equalled his Grand Slam best there with a round of 16 finish last year

Flavio Cobolli

  • Cobolli is the 6th-highest ranked Italian man, but remains very much in the race for a place at Paris 2024
  • He could make up points at Roland Garros, having lost in the first round on his debut there last year
  • The 22-year-old has fond memories of Roland Garros, having reached the boys' singles quarter-finals in 2019
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Women

Jasmine Paolini
  • Paolini is set to lead the Italians in her second Olympic Tennis Event at Paris 2024
  • The 28-year-old competed in her first Games at Tokyo 2020, falling in the first round in singles and the 2nd round in doubles
  • Paolini achieved her best Grand Slam run at the Australian Open in January, but has never been beyond the 2nd round at Roland Garros
Lucias Bronzetti
  • Bronzetti is in the running to secure a spot at the Olympic Tennis Event for the first time
  • The 25-year-old has been short of victories this clay season and could do with a few wins over the coming weeks to solidify her place in the Italian team
  • She has yet to win a match at Roland Garros – falling in the 1st round on both of her previous two Grand Slam appearances there in 2022 and 2023
Elisabetta Cocciaretto
  • Cocciaretto is in contention to win a place at the Olympic Tennis Event for the first time
  • The 23-year-old has points to defend at Roland Garros this year, having recorded her best Grand Slam result in reaching the 3rd round in 2023
  • She is particularly proficient on clay, with 8 of her 10 professional singles titles coming on the surface
  • Cocciaretto has tasted Olympic competition before having taken part in the Youth Olympic Tennis Event at 2018 Buenos Aires
Martina Trevisan
  • Trevisan’s chance of  competing at Paris 2024 could slip away unless she can significantly boost her ranking in the coming weeks
  • The 30-year-old was in the Top 20 this time last year, but is currently well outside the likely cut off for a spot at the Games
  • Trevisan has achieved her best Grand Slam results at Roland Garros, reaching the quarter-finals in 2020 and semi-finals in 2022
  • She fell in the 1st round last year, so there may yet be points up for grabs to encourage a late ranking surge
Sara Errani
  • Errani has competed in four Olympic Games – at Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020
  • She came closest to competing for a medal in both London and Rio, falling in the quarter-finals of the doubles events alongside Roberta Vinci
  • Errani’s best chance of earning a spot in her fifth Games would rely on an excellent display at 2024 Roland Garros, where she is a former runner-up but has not progressed beyond round two since 2015