Jets trace Italian tricolour across Rome skyline as thousands of tennis fans look on.
Italy’s Frecce Tricolori, the Italian Air Force’s national aerobatic display team, flew over the Foro Italico in Rome on Tuesday to mark the 2026 Italian Open tennis tournament.
The spectacular aeronautical display thrilled the crowds gathered around the clay courts at the Rome venue which is hosting the prestigious sporting event until 17 May.
The flypast took place at 12.45, with the jets’ signature green, white and red smoke trails visible not only over the tournament venue but also across the surrounding neighbourhoods.
This year’s edition of the Italian Open has drawn large crowds to both the men’s and women’s draws, with new hospitality areas and temporary installations adding to the atmosphere around the Foro Italico complex.
The Frecce Tricolori flying over the Foro Italico pic.twitter.com/k06v6PrEjG
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) May 12, 2026
The Frecce Tricolori display was one of several side events organised around the tournament, which has been attracting tennis fans and spectators to Rome throughout the week.
During an unannounced practice flypast on Monday, the roar of the jets was felt by the players on the ground, including world number one Jannik Sinner who was visibly startled by the noise in a viral video.
The flypast is in keeping with a longstanding tradition: the Frecce Tricolori regularly appear at major sporting and institutional events in the capital, their displays having become a familiar highlight of Rome’s public calendar.
In addition to Sinner, the Foro Italico is hosting an array of the world’s top tennis stars including Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic, and top women’s seeds Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Iga Świątek.
