Carlos Alcaraz won the Italian Open on Sunday after beating rival Jannik Sinner 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 in the final and firing a warning shot for Roland Garros.

Late bloomer Paolini is the first Italian woman to win the Rome event since Raffaella Reggi in 1985 after overcoming former US Open champion Gauff.

Jannik Sinner set up a blockbuster Italian Open final with Carlos Alcaraz by beating Tommy Paul 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 on Friday.

Carlos Alcaraz set up a semifinal meeting with Lorenzo Musetti at the Italian Open on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jack Draper in the last eight, while women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out.

Men's world number one tennis player, Jannik Sinner, offered to rally with Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday, after being received by the head of the Catholic Church at the Vatican.

Jannik Sinner came through the first true test of his comeback from a doping ban with Tuesday's straight-sets win over Francisco Cerundolo which took the world number one into the Italian Open quarter-finals.

Carlos Alcaraz reached the Italian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday after battling past Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to continue his bid for a first Rome title.

Djokovic stunned the tennis world in November when he hired the retired Murray, who had no track record as a coach.

Jannik Sinner made a triumphant return to tennis on Saturday by beating Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4 at the Italian Open, his first match following his doping ban.

World number two Swiatek was hunting a fourth title at the Foro Italico but failed to get past the third round of the last major tournament before the French Open.

Jannik Sinner will delight crowds at the Rome Open this week when the world number one makes his return to tennis, but the Italian's three-month doping ban has allowed other local rising stars to move into the limelight.

Casper Ruud joked seven was his lucky number after claiming the most important trophy of his career in his seventh big final as he beat Jack Draper on Sunday to win the Madrid Open.

Sabalenka recorded her tour-leading 31st victory this season on the Madrid clay, adding the WTA 1000 trophy to titles in Brisbane and Miami.

Reigning Madrid Open champion Iga Swiatek suffered a crushing semi-final defeat by Coco Gauff on Thursday, with the American triumphing 6-1, 6-1.

World number one Jannik Sinner, who is about to return to action after a three-month doping ban, thought about walking away from tennis even while successfully defending his Australian Open title, but is coming back with a new mentality.

Record 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic will not take part in the Italian Open in Rome from May 7-18, tournament organisers announced Tuesday.

The fourth-seeded Djokovic suffered a second consecutive opening defeat, after losing his opener against Alejandro Tabilo in Monte Carlo two weeks ago.

Djokovic, who is eyeing his 100th tour-level title before the French Open starts on May 25, said no player would ever be bigger than tennis.

World number three Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the Madrid Open on Thursday with a thigh injury, in a blow for his French Open title defence preparations.

Iga Swiatek admits the strict doping protocols can be stressful for players but feels like she has "been through the worst" after surviving her positive test over contaminated melatonin.