👋 Welcome back to The Daily Theory, our morning rundown to help you stay on top of your favorite sport. I’m Allen McDuffee, your guide to all things tennis.

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On tap today: Day One of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, the tournament doesn’t make good on its equal prize money promise, Jannik Sinner returns to action, Petra Kvitova takes on Irina Begu, plus more in today’s tennis news.

Let’s tennis!

Four Points

🎾 Italian Open kicks off: The Internazionali BNL d’Italia main draw matches begin today. Although it’s with a slow drip, per usual for the 1000-level tournaments these days. Still, there are some exciting match-ups, including a handful of up-and-coming American women in action. Check more on that below.

🎾 Still not equal: Despite promises in 2023 to offer equal prize money to men and women at the Italian Open starting this year, there’s still a significant gap between the two. From the first round losers ($23,600 vs. $14,900) to the tournament winners ($1,116,000 vs. $994,078), there are discrepancies at every level.

  • Flashback: In 2022, when Iga Swiatek put on a stunning performance to win on the red clay of the Foro Italico, she earned nearly one-third Novak Djokovic’s check, which sparked serious public outrage and pressure from players for the Italian Open organizers to do better.
  • What they said: “For the first time in history we have started the process that over three years will lead to equal prize money between the women’s and the men’s tournaments,” Italian tennis federation president Angelo Binaghi said in 2023. “We can make this big leap because the first female CEO of a big bank in Italy has provided us with the necessary resources.”
  • Notable: Instead of freezing the men’s prize money levels until the tournament caught the women up, the men’s prize money has continued to rise over the last few years.

🎾 Back in action: Jannik Sinner is back in action at his home 1000, the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, following his doping suspension. On Monday, as he appeared before reporters for the first time in months, he entered the media room with an unusual response: applause. Although the world number one seemed mostly himself, there were some subtle differences that suggested he’s not entirely comfortable just yet. A few nuggets...

  • On not wanting to accept the deal: “I didn’t want to do it in the beginning, so it was not easy for me to accept it because I knew what really happened,” said Sinner. “Sometimes we have to choose the best in a very bad moment.”
  • On not being barred from sanctioned sports arenas: “To be honest, for me, the toughest part was that, in the beginning, I couldn’t watch any other sport, really, in real life,” he said. “I don’t know how many [people] know this, but, for example, watching a simple football match in a stadium, I couldn’t go there to watch it. I wanted to support my friends in cycling or motor sport, I couldn’t go there. That, for me, was the toughest part.”
  • His colleagues: “I haven’t seen so many [of the other players]. I was down talking with some players. It’s all fine at the moment [but] I haven’t seen most of them. So it’s a very strange feeling again, to be around with so many people and attention. But it’s nice to be back. Me and my team are very happy.”
  • This tournament: “Results-wise, I don’t know. For me, what’s missing is the complete feedback of where my level is. That’s going to come slowly with time playing. After the first-round match I’m going to have a good ­picture of myself, where I am at.”

🎾 Venus checks the mic: Venus Williams will be hitting the airwaves (and streaming platforms) this Roland-Garros as part of the all-new TNT/TBS/Max star-studded commentary team.

  • ICYMI: This year’s Roland-Garros will not be subject to the confusing patchwork coverage by Tennis Channel, NBC, and Peacock. Instead, a whole new player has entered the tennis broadcast arena: TNT Sports. Get comfortable, because this is a 10-year deal Warner Bros. Discovery signed with the French Tennis Federation for a reported $65 million a year — more than five times the amount Tennis Channel and NBC were paying.