THE second half of the Italian Open fantasy draw saw day two go much the same as the first, as all bar one seed head through to the Round of 32.

Thirteenth seed Bianca Andreescu was the first seed to fall across the tournament, going down to Swiss qualifier Jil Teichmann. Andreescu managed to pull back momentum to stop Teichmann in her tracks in the second but could not compete with the tenacious player for much of the match, eventually going down 6-3 1-6 6-1 in a disappointing finish. Where Andreescu fell short, her fellow seeds all had much easier goes of it, collecting respective straight sets victories. Kiki Bertens came out top dog with her phenomenal 35 minute domination of Argentinian qualifier, Nadia Podroska, collecting the threatening 6-0 6-0 victory, while fourteenth seed Johanna Konta was challenged early but defeated wildcard Italian Camila Giorgi, 6-4 6-1 with relative ease. The day’s top seed in Aryna Sabalenka had the toughest challenge but still came out on top against China’s Qiang Wang to collect the 7-6 6-3 win.

Qiang’s compatriot Saisai Zheng was similarly unlucky, going down to Belgian, Elise Mertens in straight sets. While Saisai had a solid start, collecting the first few games of the first set, she failed to continue that form heading into the second and went down in a sloppy 6-3 6-0. While China had two competitors take the court, Slovenia was the only nation that saw two Round of 64 winners in this half of the draw, with both Tamara Zidansek and Polona Hercog reigning supreme. Zidansek starred against Kazakh, Yulia Putintseva, running out in straight sets, 6-4 6-3, while Hercog had a much tougher outing against Czech talent, Katerina Siniakova, with a mammoth match played out between the two. Siniakova was a tough battle, coming in red hot in the first and second, unlucky to not steal the first set away but getting the job done in the second. Hercog came off the better however, using her endurance to push for the 7-5 6-7 6-3 victory.

Angelique Kerber had a good day on the court, with the returning German struggling to find her form recently but making a statement in her come-from-behind win over Croatian, Donna Vekic. Kerber had a tough first set before making it up in the second, with Vekic still holding plenty of control but not on top of her game as she was early, as Kerber capitalised on her building momentum to steal away the match with the 1-6 7-6 6-3 victory. The last three-setter of the day saw Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova battle hard against Spanish qualifier, Carla Suarez Navarro. While her opponent had much of the control early, Kuznetsova was able to continue utilise her solid second set to swing the momentum in her favour for the 2-6 6-3 7-6 win.

United States’ Alison Riske failed to join her four day one compatriots in the second round, going down to Estonian, Anett Kontaveit in straight sets, with the American failing to apply enough pressure and going down 6-1 6-3. In other matches, Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic had a tough battle against Julia Goerges as the two-setter went for close to two hours before Mladenovic took the win, 7-6 7-5, while Maria Sakkari defeated Latvian, Jelena Ostapenko 6-3 7-5.

ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

[10] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) defeated Qiang Wang (CHN) 7-6 6-3
[11] Kiki Bertens (NED) defeated [Q] Nadia Podroska (ARG) 6-0 6-0
[Q] Jil Teichmann (SUI) defeated [13] Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 6-3 1-6 6-1
[14] Johanna Konta (GBR) defeated [WC] Camila Giorgi (ITA) 6-4 6-1
Maria Sakkari (GRE) defeated Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 6-3 7-5
Anett Kontaveit (EST) defeated Alison Riske (USA) 6-1 6-3
[Q] Tamara Zidansek (SLO) defeated Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-4 6-3
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) defeated Julia Goerges (GER) 7-6 7-5
Polona Hercog (SLO) defeated Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 7-5 6-7 6-3
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) defeated [Q] Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 2-6 6-3 7-6
Elise Mertens (BEL) defeated Saisai Zheng (CHN) 6-3 6-0
Angelique Kerber (GER) defeated Donna Vekic (CRO) 1-6 7-6 6-3