# 2008 Italian Open – Men's singles

Novak Djokovic defeated Stanislas Wawrinka in the final, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 2008 Italian Open.
Rafael Nadal was the three-time defending champion, but lost in the second round to Juan Carlos Ferrero. Notably, this marked the first of two instances that Nadal lost his opening match at a clay court tournament.

## Seeds

The top eight seeds receive a bye into the second round.
* Roger Federer (quarterfinals)
* Rafael Nadal (second round)
* Novak Djokovic (champion)
* Nikolay Davydenko (third round)
* David Ferrer (second round)
* Andy Roddick (semifinals, retired due to a back injury)
* David Nalbandian (second round)
* James Blake (quarterfinals)
* Richard Gasquet (first round)
* Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (first round)
* Carlos Moyá (first round)
* Fernando González (third round, withdrew due to a right hamstring injury)
* Juan Mónaco (second round)
* Tommy Robredo (quarterfinals)
* Paul-Henri Mathieu (first round)
* Andy Murray (second round)

## Draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Roger Federer | 6$^4$ | 6$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Radek Štěpánek | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Radek Štěpánek | 7 | 7 | | | Radek Štěpánek | 0 | 0$^r$ | | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | Novak Djokovic | 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| 3 | Novak Djokovic | 6 | 1 | | 3 | Novak Djokovic | 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| | Nicolás Almagro | 1 | 0$^r$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nicolás Almagro | 1 | 0$^r$ | | | | | | 3 | Novak Djokovic | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Stanislas Wawrinka | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 6 | Andy Roddick | 6 | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | Stanislas Wawrinka | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 14 | Tommy Robredo | 3 | 6 | 6$^4$ | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Tommy Robredo | 3 | 6 | 6$^4$ | 6 | Andy Roddick | 0$^r$ | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Stanislas Wawrinka | 3 | | | | | | |
| 8 | James Blake | 7 | 6$^5$ | 1 | | Stanislas Wawrinka | 3 | | | | | | |
| | Stanislas Wawrinka | 6$^5$ | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 1 | R Federer | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | G Cañas | 6$^8$ | 6 | 6 | | G Cañas | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | G Naso | 7 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | 1 | R Federer | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | P Starace | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | I Karlović | 6$^4$ | 3 | | | | | |
| | M Čilić | 4 | 6 | 4 | | P Starace | 3 | 7 | 6$^3$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | I Karlović | 7 | 6 | | | I Karlović | 6 | 6$^5$ | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | P-H Mathieu | 6$^4$ | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | R Federer | 6$^4$ | 6$^7$ |
| 9 | R Gasquet | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | R Štěpánek | 7 | 7 |
| Q | L Horna | 6 | 6 | | Q | L Horna | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Tursunov | 4 | 2 | | | J Acasuso | 3 | 6$^1$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Acasuso | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | Q | L Horna | 4 | 6 | 3 | | | | |
| | J Nieminen | 3 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | R Štěpánek | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | |
| | R Štěpánek | 6 | 3 | 6 | | R Štěpánek | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | D Ferrer | 6 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 3 | N Djokovic | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Darcis | 7 | 7 | | | S Darcis | 4 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | I Ljubičić | 5 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | 3 | N Djokovic | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | |
| | H-t Lee | 4 | 5 | | | | | | | | I Andreev | 3 | 6 | 3 | | | | |
| | I Andreev | 6 | 7 | | | I Andreev | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | P Cuevas | 0 | 4 | | 13 | J Mónaco | 6 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | J Mónaco | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | N Djokovic | 6 | 1 |
| 12 | F González | 3 | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | N Almagro | 1 | 0$^r$ |
| | J Tipsarević | 6 | 6$^0$ | 6$^6$ | 12 | F González | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | E Korolev | 1 | 6 | 6 | Q | E Korolev | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Söderling | 6 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | 12 | F González | | | | | | | |
| | N Almagro | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | N Almagro | w/o | | | | | | |
| WC | F Cipolla | 1 | 3 | | | N Almagro | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | D Nalbandian | 4 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### Section 3

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 6 | A Roddick | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Llodra | 5 | 6 | 6$^2$ | | M Fish | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Fish | 7 | 3 | 7 | | | | | 6 | A Roddick | 7 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | S Bolelli | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | S Bolelli | 6$^5$ | 3 | | | | | | |
| Q | O Patience | 0 | 3 | | | S Bolelli | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | G Simon | 6 | 4 | 7 | | G Simon | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | J-W Tsonga | 2 | 6 | 6$^6$ | | | | | | | | | | 6 | A Roddick | 6 | 4 | 7 |
| 14 | T Robredo | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | T Robredo | 3 | 6 | 6$^4$ |
| | JI Chela | 4 | 1 | | 14 | T Robredo | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Mahut | 6$^5$ | 6 | 7 | | N Mahut | 5 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | T Fabbiano | 7 | 4 | 5 | | | | | 14 | T Robredo | 4 | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| WC | M Ančić | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 4 | N Davydenko | 6 | 2 | 6$^4$ | | | | | |
| | F López | 4 | 4 | | WC | M Ančić | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | N Davydenko | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 8 | J Blake | 7 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Seppi | 6 | 6 | | | A Seppi | 6$^5$ | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | F Santoro | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | 8 | J Blake | 5 | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | F Volandri | 6$^6$ | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | F Verdasco | 7 | 5 | 2 | | | | | |
| Q | N Lapentti | 7 | 2 | 6 | Q | N Lapentti | 2 | 7 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | F Verdasco | 6 | 6 | | | F Verdasco | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | C Moyá | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | J Blake | 7 | 6$^5$ | 1 |
| 16 | A Murray | 5 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | S Wawrinka | 6$^5$ | 7 | 6 |
| Q | JM del Potro | 7 | 4 | 0$^r$ | 16 | A Murray | 2 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | M Safin | 7 | 2 | 1 | | S Wawrinka | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Wawrinka | 6$^5$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | S Wawrinka | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | JC Ferrero | 6$^5$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | JC Ferrero | 4 | 3 | | | | | | |
| | N Kiefer | 7 | 3 | 4 | | JC Ferrero | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | R Nadal | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Qualifying
### Qualifying seeds

* Gaël Monfils (qualifying competition, retired)
* Jonas Björkman (qualifying competition)
* Victor Hănescu (first round, retired)
* Mischa Zverev (qualifying competition)
* Juan Martín del Potro (qualified)
* Nicolás Lapentti (qualified)
* Arnaud Clément (qualifying competition)
* Evgeny Korolev (qualified)
* Boris Pašanski (qualifying competition)
* Pablo Cuevas (qualified)
* Benjamin Becker (qualifying competition)
* Luis Horna (qualified)
* Olivier Patience (qualified)
* Édouard Roger-Vasselin (qualifying competition)

### Qualifiers

* Olivier Patience
* Evgeny Korolev
* Thomas Fabbiano
* Luis Horna
* Juan Martín del Potro
* Nicolás Lapentti
* Pablo Cuevas

### Qualifying draw
#### First qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 1 | Gaël Monfils | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| Alt | Manuel Sánchez | 4 | 2 | | | | | |
| Alt | Manuel Sánchez | 4 | 2 | | 1 | Gaël Monfils | 3 | 0$^r$ |
| | | | | | 13 | Olivier Patience | 6 | 1 |
| | Stefano Galvani | 2 | 6 | 4 | 13 | Olivier Patience | 6 | 1 |
| 13 | Olivier Patience | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | |

#### Second qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 2 | Jonas Björkman | 6 | 3 | 7$^7$ | | | | |
| WC | Matteo Trevisan | 4 | 6 | 6$^5$ | | | | |
| WC | Matteo Trevisan | 4 | 6 | 6$^5$ | 2 | Jonas Björkman | 6$^6$ | 2 |
| | | | | | 8 | Evgeny Korolev | 7$^8$ | 6 |
| | Andrey Golubev | 3 | 3 | | 8 | Evgeny Korolev | 7$^8$ | 6 |
| 8 | Evgeny Korolev | 6 | 6 | | | | | |

#### Third qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 3 | Victor Hănescu | 4 | 0$^r$ | | | | | | |
| WC | Thomas Fabbiano | 6 | 3 | | | | | | |
| WC | Thomas Fabbiano | 6 | 3 | | WC | Thomas Fabbiano | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| | | | | | 9 | Boris Pašanski | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| WC | Andrea Arnaboldi | 6 | 3 | 3 | 9 | Boris Pašanski | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| 9 | Boris Pašanski | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |

#### Fourth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 4 | Mischa Zverev | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | |
| | Yuri Schukin | 4 | 7 | 2 | | | | |
| | Yuri Schukin | 4 | 7 | 2 | 4 | Mischa Zverev | 2 | 5 |
| | | | | | 12 | Luis Horna | 6 | 7 |
| | Max Mirnyi | 4 | 6 | 4 | 12 | Luis Horna | 6 | 7 |
| 12 | Luis Horna | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | |

#### Fifth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 5 | Juan Martín del Potro | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | |
| | Francesco Aldi | 0 | 6 | 2 | | | | |
| | Francesco Aldi | 0 | 6 | 2 | 5 | Juan Martín del Potro | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | 11 | Benjamin Becker | 1 | 1 |
| | Simone Vagnozzi | 6 | 4 | 2 | 11 | Benjamin Becker | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Benjamin Becker | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | |

#### Sixth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 6 | Nicolás Lapentti | 3 | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | Paolo Lorenzi | 6 | 1 | 5 | | | | |
| | Paolo Lorenzi | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | Nicolás Lapentti | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | 14 | Édouard Roger-Vasselin | 2 | 0 |
| | Adrián García | 4 | 3 | | 14 | Édouard Roger-Vasselin | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | Édouard Roger-Vasselin | 6 | 6 | | | | | |

#### Seventh qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 7 | Arnaud Clément | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Leonardo Azzaro | 6 | 2 | 3 | | | | |
| | Leonardo Azzaro | 6 | 2 | 3 | 7 | Arnaud Clément | 3 | 3 |
| | | | | | 10 | Pablo Cuevas | 6 | 6 |
| WC | Matteo Marrai | 3 | 6 | 1 | 10 | Pablo Cuevas | 6 | 6 |
| 10 | Pablo Cuevas | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | |