Carlos Alcaraz is in action on Friday and says he has recovered from the thigh injury he picked up during his Barcelona Open final defeat last month.
The four-time Grand Slam champion, who was forced to miss the Madrid Open, will take on Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic in the second round.
“I’m in a good shape. I’m 100 per cent ready to start the tournament,” said world number three Alcaraz. “I think my level is in a good spot.”
The 22-year-old lifted the French Open trophy last year despite an injury-hit clay-court season. He has made only one previous appearance in Rome – a third-round defeat by Hungarian Fabian Marozsan in 2023.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Jack Draper’s Italian Open campaign begins on Friday too against home player Luciano Darderi at around 16:30 BST.
The world number five reached the final in Madrid nearly a week ago, but was beaten to his first ATP Tour clay-court title by Norway’s Casper Ruud.
