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.”

Two of Italy’s brightest young athletes once again celebrated major victories on the same day, reinforcing a remarkable cross-sport coincidence this season.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner claimed the Mutua Madrid Open title with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev. Sinner completed the match in 58 minutes, did not face a single break point and notched his fourth title of the year and his fifth consecutive ATP Masters 1000 triumph.

A few hours earlier at Hard Rock Stadium, 19-year-old Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli crossed the finish line to win the Miami Grand Prix, his third career race victory. After the race Antonelli delivered a public tribute to the tennis star: “Jannik has been doing great too,” Antonelli said after the race, which took place at the Hard Rock Stadium. “I want to dedicate this victory to (the late) Alex (Zanardi), but also to Jannik. He’s always been very kind to me.

“I’m just very happy that both of us are experiencing beautiful moments like these.”

The pairing of Sinner and Antonelli has become a recurring storyline in 2026. Each of Antonelli’s three grand prix wins this year has coincided with one of Sinner’s Masters 1000 titles. The connection stretches back to March when Sinner offered a shoutout after winning in Miami and signed a camera lens with the message: “Bez, Kimi, Italia.” That day also saw victories for other Italian competitors, a fact Sinner acknowledged with his lens message.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has warned about the public attention surrounding the pair. “The easier bit is making sure that he (Antonelli) keeps both feet on the ground here in the team… The bigger problem is the Italian public,” Wolff said. “Now that they are not qualified for football (in FIFA World Cup), it’s all about Sinner and Antonelli, and Antonelli and Sinner. Sinner won in Madrid, so it’s the two that are superstars.”

Sinner is next scheduled to play at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia beginning May 6 before heading to Roland Garros.

Jasmine Paolini begins a notable WTA milestone this week as she records her 100th consecutive week in the Top 10. All 100 weeks have come in an uninterrupted run since her Top 10 debut on June 10, 2024, which followed her first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros.

Five weeks after breaking into the Top 10, Paolini advanced to her second major final at Wimbledon and made her Top 5 debut. In October 2024 she reached a career-high ranking of No. 4. She is currently No. 8 on the WTA rankings.

The timing of the milestone adds resonance. Paolini is back at her home tournament in Rome, where she made history last year by becoming the first Italian player, woman or man, to capture that title in 40 years. The Rome event is now staged over two weeks, and she will register her 100th and 101st Top 10 weeks during the tournament.

Paolini’s run is singular in Italian tennis history. She is the first Italian player to spend 100 straight weeks, or even 100 career weeks, in the WTA Top 10. Only five Italian players have ever reached the WTA Top 10: Errani, Schiavone, Vinci, Pennetta and Paolini. Errani, Schiavone and Vinci logged their career Top 10 weeks in one consecutive stint, while Pennetta’s time in the Top 10 was split across five separate stints spanning four seasons. Schiavone and Paolini share the distinction of having peaked at No. 4, the highest ranking ever achieved by an Italian player in WTA history.

There is a competitive element to the celebration. Paolini will be defending 1,000 ranking points this fortnight for winning the Rome title last year, a substantial total that could put her Top 10 position at risk depending on results. The combination of historical context, ranking milestones and the pressure of title defense makes this return to Rome a pivotal moment in Paolini’s season.