Iga Swiatek said she has put a difficult Madrid episode behind her and is feeling fully fit as she prepares to chase a fourth Internazionali BNL d’Italia crown in six seasons.

The world No. 3, who retired in the third set of her third-round match with Ann Li after a suspected bout of food poisoning at the Mutua Madrid Open, remained in Madrid to recover before travelling to Rome. The 24-year-old said the illness left her without energy in the immediate lead-up to the match.

“It was really, like, sh–ty, literally (laughter). So yeah, I was completely off, like, day before the match. The day I played also I was not good, like no energy at all,” she told reporters.

“Honestly, day after it was a bit better, but still I don’t think I would be able to play normal. But in two days I was already fine. I recovered. I had some time to stay there and not really travel because I don’t think it’s safe to travel when you’re so, like, fragile.”

Swiatek reported that she has returned to full fitness in training at the Foro Italico. Alongside the aim of claiming a fourth Rome title in six seasons, she said she is also seeking a first title with her new coach, Francisco Roig. The WTA 1000 in Rome is her third tournament working with Roig after the pair debuted their partnership in Stuttgart last month.

Swiatek described changes she has been making in practice under Roig and the importance of enjoying the process.

“I have been trying some different options on practices, which is great, because I wasn’t exactly comfortable with how I played couple months back. This feels more natural and more solid and I would say kind of disciplined,” she said.

“Sometimes still I tend to come back to old habits, so I think I will need some time to exactly always fully automatically do what Francis wants me to do. I think it’s going pretty well. Like, honestly the most important thing for me is that I’m enjoying playing. Every practice for me makes sense. It feels like a process and it feels like every practice I learn something new. So it’s great.”

Alexander Blockx has emerged as a compelling presence on tour this spring. The 21-year-old from Belgium reached the semifinals in Madrid last week and now sits at No. 36 in the rankings. That rise has not been enough to earn a seed in Rome, though he should make the cut at the Slams. In Rome he faces a different sort of challenge: a younger opponent. Cina, a 19-year-old from Palermo who reached as high as No. 4 in the juniors, will have local support. As a pro, however, Cina has not been ranked higher than No. 183. Blockx’s profile fits the modern top-level ATP player: a 6’4 frame, a strong serve, a heavy topspin forehand and a two-handed backhand. Winner: Blockx

Karolina Pliskova’s return to the later rounds of a WTA 1000 event was unexpected at the start of the year. The 34-year-old finished 2025 ranked outside the Top 1000 and had not advanced past the second round at a major since 2023. Last week in Madrid she looked more like the player who once held No. 1 in the world, making the quarters and coming within a set of the semifinals. Now at No. 130, Pliskova has momentum and tournament history on her side: she won this event in 2019 and reached the final in 2020 and 2021. She opens against Bouzas Maneiro, a fiery 23-year-old from Spain ranked 50th. They have never played each other. Winner: Pliskova

Dino Prizmic is another name that surfaced during Madrid. The 20-year-old from Croatia, listed at 6’2, plays with noticeable grit and physicality. He recorded eye-opening wins over Matteo Berrettini and Ben Shelton last week in Madrid, moves to a career-high No. 79 and is now a player to watch as the clay season progresses. His rise this spring has been rapid and memorable.

The quick move from Madrid to Rome represents more than a change of venue. The two Masters-level events arrive within 24 hours of one another, and the Foro Italico presents a very different atmosphere from the Caja Magica. The surface carries the same name, but fans, arenas, altitude and weather make Rome its own test.

Jannik Sinner enters as the top seed, coming off an extraordinary run in 2026. After missing four Masters 1000s in 2025 — Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid — he has won all of those events so far in 2026 while dropping just two sets. That sequence leaves him with a scheduling dilemma: rest before Roland Garros or play his national event and risk added wear. Rest would mean three weeks without a match before Paris; playing preserves match rhythm. He has chosen to play and is scheduled to meet Arthur Fils in the round of 16.

Sinner’s potential path to the title: 2R: Michelsen | 3R: Mensik | 4R: Fils | QF: Shelton | SF: Medvedev | F: Zverev

The WTA field arrives on the heels of an unsettled Madrid. For the first three months of 2026 the rankings held, but the last two weeks produced surprise results. Aryna Sabalenka was the only one of the top group to reach the quarters in Madrid. Marta Kostyuk won her first 1000 title, Mirra Andreeva reached the final and Hailey Baptiste beat Paolini, Bencic and Sabalenka. That raises the question: will Rome restore order or continue the upheaval? Last year Jasmine Paolini produced a home-court Cinderella run to the title, but Sabalenka, Rybakina, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff have recent history of deep runs in Rome.

Sabalenka: 2R: Krejcikova | 3R: Cirstea | 4R: Noskova | QF: Anisimova | SF: Gauff
Gauff: 2R: Putintseva or Valentova | 3R: Raducanu | 4R: Jovic | QF: Andreeva | SF: Sabalenka
Swiatek: 2R: Kasatkina or McNally | 3R: Navarro | 4R: Osaka | QF: Pegula or Muchova | SF: Rybakina
Rybakina: 2R: Sakkari | 3R: Wang Xinyu | 4R: Kostyuk | QF: Svitolina | SF: Swiatek

Novak Djokovic’s presence is notable. He has played just two tournaments this year, the Australian Open and Indian Wells, and after his long goodbye at Roland Garros last year some expected him to skip the clay swing. He is seeded third, a six-time Rome champion with a career record at the Foro Italico of 68-12, and he has never lost in the opening round. He has not played a match on clay in 11 months and is about to turn 39, but he landed in a manageable section of the draw.

Djokovic’s path to the final: 2R: Fucsovics | 3R: Humbert | 4R: Khachanov | QF: Musetti | SF: Zverev