Player profile
Stefano Napolitano rebuilt from back surgery to reach Slam qualifying again
Stefano Napolitano won Challenger titles in Bengaluru and Madrid in 2024, then reached a career-high No. 121 after making the Rome Masters third round with victories over J.J. Wolf and Juncheng Shang. A back problem and surgery interrupted that rise. In 2026, the six-foot-five Italian returned to Challenger finals in Kigali and Mexico City while working back toward major qualifying range. Napolitano prefers hard courts and names the backhand as his favorite shot; his height and early acceleration on serve and return give that preference a practical foundation.
Profile facts: US Open Tennis Championships player page ↗