DAY one of the Italian Open fantasy tournament saw plenty of big matches, though little surprising outcomes given the amount of consistent talent on show. All four seeds in this half of the draw – bar the two who got free passes through the first round in Elina Svitolina and Karolina Pliskova – were successful on the first day in Rome.

All four Americans in this half of the draw head to the Round of 32, as both Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova made it through almost entirely unscathed. Keys dominated against Magda Linette, collecting the solid 6-3 6-1 victory while Anisimova was equally impressive against China’s Shuai Zhang, dropping only one more set that Keys to take the 6-3 6-2 win. qualifier , Sloane Stephens and wildcard, Taylor Townsend continued their solid form but were certainly challenged by their respective opposition in Great Britain’s Heather Watson and Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Both Watson and Pavlyuchenkova managed to win back the second set against their competition but to no avail. 

Polish youngster Iga Swiatek was unlucky to draw Madrid Open fantasy champion Petra Kvitova, and while she challenged the powerful Czech it was to no avail, going down 5-7 6-3 6-2. Just one of Kvitova’s compatriots followed her footsteps to the second round, as Karolina Muchova defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova, 6-3 4-6 6-1. Alexandrova had a stellar end to 2019 but has not yet managed to back up that form, and despite putting in a tough effort she was unable to head to the Round of 32. Meanwhile, both Barbora Strycova and Marketa Vondrousova went down in mammoth three setters, going down to fifteenth seed, Elena Rybakina and qualifier, Anastasija Sevastova respectively. Rybakina never really looked like losing despite dropping the second set, collecting the win over Strycova 6-1 6-7 7-5, always on the front foot and using every ounce of her talent to beat the Czech competitor. Sevastova had a similar battle but also managed to come out on top, though Vondrousova is sure to be frustrated by the closeness of the contest, especially given that she won the first set and had all the momentum heading into the second set, though eventually went down in over two hours, 4-6 7-6 7-5.

Of the last four matches of the day, just one went to three sets – though given the scoreline, if Elisabetta Cocciaretto had started well it could have gone very differently for Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who went down in the strange encounter, 2-6 6-0 6-0. Cocciaretto was dominant after a sloppy and uncharacteristically error-ridden first set, zipping through the second and third in just 35 minutes. Petra Martic similarly dominated against Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, 6-1 6-2, while twelfth seed Belinda Bencic downed wildcard Victoria Azarenka, 6-4 6-0 and Russian Veronika Kudermetova reigned supreme in a tighter contest against Rebecca Peterson, coming away with the 6-3 7-5 victory.

ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

[9] Petra Kvitova (CZE) defeated Iga Swiatek (POL) 5-7 6-3 6-2
[12] Belinda Bencic (SUI) defeated [WC] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 6-4 6-0
[15] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) defeated Barbora Strycova (CZE) 6-1 6-7 7-5
[16] Madison Keys (USA) defeated Magda Linette (POL) 6-3 6-1
[Q] Sloane Stephens (USA) defeated Heather Watson (GBR) 6-1 5-7 6-3
[Q] Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) defeated Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 4-6 7-6 7-5
Amanda Anisimova (USA) defeated Shuai Zhang (CHN) 6-3 6-2
[WC] Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) defeated Ons Jabeur (TUN) 2-6 6-0 6-0
Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) defeated Rebecca Peterson (SWE) 6-3 7-5
Petra Martic (CRO) defeated Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 6-1 6-2
[WC] Taylor Townsend (USA) defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 3-6 6-3 6-4
Karolina Muchova (CZE) defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 6-3 4-6 6-1