Former Grand Slam semi-finalist Sam Querrey has called out Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Roger Federer for hogging the practice courts at the Italian Open. Organisers in Rome have expanded the tournament infrastructure in recent years, but players used to have to scrap and claw for prime time practice slots which, according to Querrey, often went to the big hitters.
In Nadal, Williams and Federer, they don’t come much bigger. All three have now retired, with a combined 65 Grand Slam titles between them. And former world No. 11 Querrey was still a top-level ATP Tour competitor when the trio were at the peak of their powers.
Recalling his past experience at the Italian Open ‘seven or eight years ago’, Querrey told the Nothing Major podcast: “It was impossible to practice there.
“Firstly, it’s just a single court, literally one practice court for like 150 players and Serena would have it for two hours, and then like Rafa for two hours, Federer would take it for about ninety minutes, and everyone else is down at Pietrangeli.”
The 37-year-old continued: “They had one practice court for men and women, and Rafa would have it for two straight hours. Which was fine, you know, like the two to four pm, just Rafa, you know, while everyone else is like off, hitting 20 minutes away, four [players to] a court, and it was brutal.”
With extra practice court time came great success for clay specialist Nadal, who won the Italian Open 10 times during his career – more than any other player. Rome was also a happy hunting ground for Williams as she collected the fourth of her four titles there in 2016.
But the same cannot be said for Federer. Clay was the Swiss hitter’s weakest surface, with only one of his Grand Slam triumphs coming at the French Open. And the Italian Open was one of only two Masters 1000 events that eluded him, along with the Monte-Carlo Masters, which is also played on clay.