Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka remain on track at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome for a repeat of the recent Madrid final, but both had to navigate stern challenges, while other contenders still include Coco Gauff, Zheng Qinwen, Jelena Ostapenko, Danielle Collins and Madison Keys, but Maria Sakkari’s hopes were upset by Victoria Azarenka.
Swiatek Overcomes Kerber
Top seed Swiatek saw off Angelique Kerber, 7-5 6-3, to set up a quarter-final clash with Keys, the 18th seed from the USA, who easily beat Sorana Cirstea despite their match being interrupted by climate activists.
Play was suspended on the Pietrangeli show court for half an hour by a court invasion from protestors from Ultima Generazione (Last Generation), who, wearing orange vests, threw a liquid and confetti onto the clay surface.
Activists also disrupted play on Court 12, where a men’s doubles match was taking place, but, on the Grandstand, they were stopped before they could enter the stadium.
There were also protestors in the stands with at least one trying to glue their feet to the floor in order to hamper their removal.
“As soon as I saw them come over the barrier, my first thought was like, ‘Should I go tackle one of them?’ But I stopped myself,” Keys said. “And then the chair [umpire] started yelling at me to go sit down.”
The players retreated to the locker room, and the protesters did not resist when security intervened before police and firefighters also arrived to handle the situation.
Madison Keys endured a 30 minute delay by climate activists but still easily got past Sorana Cistea to meet Iga Swiatek in the Last 8. (Image credit: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Swiatek’s Battle with Kerber
On Court Centrale, Swiatek, the World No 1 who has yet to drop a set and is favorite for a 3rd Foro Italico title before she begins her French Open title defense later this month, was made to battle by Kerber, a 3-time Grand Slam champion in her own right.
Kerber, who held the No 1 ranking for 34 weeks, returned to the tour in January after a year-long maternity leave.
Swiatek arrived in Rome off the back of a thrilling triumph in Madrid, her 3rd WTA 1000 title of the season after also winning at Doha and Indian Wells, but the 22-year-old Pole did not have it all her own way against the German, who is currently sitting at No 331, and is the lowest-ranked player to reach the Last 16 here.
“For sure, wasn’t easy,” said Swiatek, who is now into her 103rd week ranked No 1. “I’m happy in important moments at the end of both sets I was ready to break. I got my focus up a little bit. At the end, that’s what made the difference, so I’m happy.”
It was a 9th straight win for Swiatek, and the two-time Rome champion, who improved to 3-0 against Kerber, will face Keys in a rematch of the Madrid Open semi-finals.
Sabalenka Triumphs over Svitolina
World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka squeaked past Elina Svitolina in a match tiebreak at around 1am to set up a quarter-final meeting with Jelena Ostapenko on Wednesday. (Image credit: Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images)
Sabalenka, the World No 2, saved 3 match points to up-end two-time champion Elina Svitolina, the 16th seed from Ukraine, 6-4 1-6 7-6(7), coming from 0-2 down in the third set to advance to the quarter-finals in a match that finished well after midnight at the Foro Italico.
“I gave it all today,” Sabalenka said. “I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t leave the court. I felt, like, if my body allows me to play even 15 percent of my best tennis, I’m going to stay there, I’m going to fight.”
Sabalenka will face Jelena Ostapenko, the 10th seed, for a spot in the semi-finals on Wednesday, the Latvian having engineered her own come-back earlier in the day when she defeated Slovakian qualifier Rebecca Sramkova, 4-6 6-4 7-6(3), to make her 4th Rome quarter-final.
Gauff Advances to Quarters
Zheng Qinwen had a point to make in defeating Naomi Osaka, and will take on Coco Gauff in the Last 8 on Tuesday. (Image credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Also through to the quarters is 3rd-seeded Coco Gauff, the 20-year old American, who outlasted Spain’s Paula Badosa, 5-7 6-4 6-1.
Gauff, the reigning US Open champion, showed tremendous resilience, having struggled her with serving woes for much of the clay-court season, but she played clutch tennis when it counted to survive an inspired performance from the former World No 2 in 2 hours and 27 minutes.
