La Dolce Vita: Rome ready for 2026 Masters World Championships 50-55
Rome is ready to take centre stage as the Masters World Championships head to Italy for the first time.
From Sunday 5 July, players aged 50 and above through to 55 and above will battle for honours in the Eternal City, with high-quality tennis to be showcased across four historic venues: Oasi di Pace, T.C. San Giorgio, Appio Claudio T.C., and Appia Country Roma.
The Team Championships, which conclude on Friday 10 July, will bring together 90 teams from nations across every region of the globe, all chasing the ultimate prize of becoming World Champions.
Following a memorable 2025 edition in Lisbon, Portugal, where four different nations struck gold across the 50-55+ categories, the attraction of Rome and promise of la dolce vita has helped produce another outstanding field.
These age groups are among the most fiercely contested on the World Tennis Masters Tour and 2026 promises no shortage of drama.
On the men’s side, France return as defending champions of the Fred Perry Cup (50+), but their title defence will be severely tested. Spain arrive with prolific World Champion Roberto Menendez Ferre, who has moved up from the 45+ age category in 2026, while hosts Italy — champions in 2024 — will be determined to reclaim the crown in front of a home crowd.
In the Austria Cup (55+), USA return as reigning champions, again led by Eoin Collins and Dana Gill. Yet the Netherlands appear favourites on paper, with former world No. 1 in doubles and current Netherlands Davis Cup captain Paul Haarhuis set to make his Masters World Championships debut. He will be joined by Marcus Hilpert, a member of the Dutch team that reached the 50+ Cup final in 2025.
On the women’s side, Spain, led by Paula Cabezas, will be aiming to defend their Maria Esther Bueno Cup (50+) title, although France are poised to challenge. Spearheaded by the formidable Caroline Dhenin, the French will be eager to turn the tables after last year’s final defeat.
Germany, meanwhile, return as holders of the Maureen Connolly Cup (55+), with Anke Wurst once again leading their charge. They will not have it easy, however, with USA, Netherlands and hosts Italy among a strong chasing pack ready to challenge.
The spotlight will remain on Rome the following week, when the 2026 Masters World Individual Championships for players aged 50 and above through to 55 and above take place from 11–18 July. Many of the standout names from the Teams competition will pursue individual glory, joined by a host of other high-ranked players in what promises to be a superb fortnight of Masters tennis in the Italian capital.