The Italian Open is one of the oldest events on the professional tennis circuit.
The event was first held in 1930. American star Bill Tilden won the men’s singles event, and Spain’s Lili Alvarez won the women’s event.
Who do you think will win the women’s Italian Open this year? 🏆
Spain would have to wait over 60 years for their next Italian Open champion in the women’s singles category.
Conchita Martinez first won the Italian Open title in 1993, and she very quickly became a legendary figure at the event.
Conchita Martinez won four consecutive Italian Open titles
In 1993, Conchita Martinez won her first Italian Open title after beating Gabriela Sabatini 7-5, 6-1 in the final.
Sabatini, the former world number three, had won four of the five Italian Open titles prior to her defeat to Martinez.
A year later, Martinez defended her title. The Spaniard defeated Nathalie Tauziat, Karina Habšudová and Martina Navratilova on her way to Italian Open glory.
Martinez made it three in a row in 1995, defeating compatriot Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6-3, 6-1 in the championship showpiece.
By doing so, Martinez became only the second player to win three consecutive Italian Open titles, after Chris Evert. Rafael Nadal later became the third to achieve the feat after winning a third consecutive title in 2007.
In 1996, Martinez separated herself from Evert and Nadal by winning a fourth consecutive Italian Open title.
Conchita Martinez’s Italian Open titles
- 1993: defeated Gabriela Sabatini 7-5, 6-1 in the final
- 1994: defeated Martina Navratilova 7–6, 6–4 in the final
- 1995: defeated Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6-3, 6-1 in the final
- 1996: defeated Martina Hingis 6-2, 6-3 in the final
Conchita Martinez speaking about her 1996 Italian Open title
“I beat her in the final in Hamburg [6-0, 6-1] the year before,” Martinez said of Hingis in 2023, as per the WTA Tour.
““Of course, we all know what Hingis was later. She was very talented and always knew where you were going to hit the ball.
“That year, she was still very young. She beat me in Australia, and a lot of times after that. But that day, I was better than her.”
Martinez, who won the 1994 Wimbledon Ladies Singles title, is now the coach of top 10 Russian star Mirra Andreeva.
Do you think Mirra Andreeva is more likely to win the French Open than Iga Swiatek?
Mirra Andreeva is into the Madrid Open final…
Andreeva, the world number seven, is playing at the Italian Open this week. On Thursday, the 19-year-old won her opening match against Antonia Ruzic, 6-1, 6-0.
