The Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome saw a setback as its defending champion, Elena Rybakina, withdrew from the WTA 1000 tournament due to illness. Despite struggling with sickness after an intense run in Madrid, Rybakina expressed her disappointment at not being able to defend her title in Rome, a tournament that holds special significance for her. The Kazakh’s withdrawal opened up the third quarter of the draw, with Maria Sakkari becoming the highest seed in that section.
In other matches, Aryna Sabalenka, the World No. 2, came back from a set down to defeat Katie Volynets, while Ons Jabeur fell to Sofia Kenin in a tight three-set battle. Sabalenka, dealing with illness, reflected on the challenges she faced in Madrid and expressed optimism about her recovery and performance in Rome. The second seed faces a tough opponent in Dayana Yastremska in the next round.
Meanwhile, Victoria Azarenka, the 24th seed from Belarus, staged a remarkable comeback to overcome Magda Linette in a grueling match that lasted nearly three hours. Azarenka will now face Mayar Sherif in the next round. The tournament also saw Danielle Collins progressing after her opponent, Anna Blinkova, was forced to retire due to injury.
As the action continues in Rome, the competition is heating up with top players facing off against each other in thrilling encounters. The remaining matches promise to deliver more excitement and drama as the quest for the title intensifies.
