Clay court stars book final four spots in Rome
TWO Roland Garros champions, last year’s runner-up and a regular performer on clay have all won their respective quarters finals at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Top two seeds, Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova advanced through to the semi-finals, to now take on their respective opponents, Garbine Muguruza and Marketa Vondrousova who also booked impressive wins. […]
Putintseva survives against Rybakina in come-from-behind all-Kazakh triumph
YULIA Putintseva has stunned the Internazionali BNL d’Italia with a remarkable come-from-behind victory over fellow Kazakh, Elena Rybakina. The world number 30 faced a 4-6 2-5 deficit against the world number 18 and 10th seed, but found a way to fight back and win 4-6 7-6 6-2 to book her spot in the quarter finals. […]
Clay courters continue run as Berrettini last Italian standing in quarter finals
MATTEO Berrettini was the sole Italian to win his third round match after a record four players from the home nation made their way through to the final 16 at the Rome Masters. Berrettini indeed ended the run of one of them, knocking off compatriot Stefano Travaglia in two tiebreakers, 7-6 7-6. The first tiebreaker […]
Kenin outclassed by relentless Azarenka
A HUGE upset was the story of the day at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, with third seed Sofia Kenin going down in straight sets to in-form Belarusian Victoria Azarenka. While Azarenka has been in excellent form, making two straight finals in New York – winning one by default – it was not the fact that […]
Top seeds return convincingly to Rome International
THE beginning of the Italian Open Round of 32 saw a couple of intriguing results, and while all seeds bar one head through to the Round of 16, there were very little straightforward matches played out. Also on day five, Victoria Azarenka and Venus Williams went head to head in a delayed first round match, […]
Muguruza reigns over Stephens despite rain delay, Kerber out in straight sets
THE second day of Internazionali BNL d’Italia Round of 64 action saw just the one seed lose to a lower ranked opposition in what was a fairly predictable end to the first round. Of the four seeds on court, it was former world number one Angelique Kerber who went down to Czech talent Katerina Sinakova […]
Rybakina destroys Alexandrova as Bolsova piles on more pain for Riske
KAZAKH young gun Elena Rybakina has taken just 61 minutes to take apart fellow top 30 player, Ekaterina Alexandrova at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in a stunning role reversal. Just a fortnight earlier, Alexandrova defeated Rybakina in straight sets at the Western & Southern Open, with the 21-year-old winning just one match in her past […]
Internazionali BNL d’Italia sees Nadal return among a flurry of WTA players to the clay
THE Internazionali BNL d’Italia qualifying rounds are almost done and dusted making for an intriguing full draw at both the men’s and women’s Italian Open. While all US Open semi-finalists were given the first round of competition off to recover from the quick turnaround in competitions – and countries – just one ATP Tour player […]
Three top 12 seeds out, but Italy International still stacked with talent
THE Internazionali D’Italia or Italy International might not feature world number one, Ash Barty or top 12 players Bianca Andreescu and Aryna Sabalenka, but there are still plenty of top 10 talents running around on the Rome clay courts. The lead-up event to Roland Garros, players such as Serena Williams and Simona Halep will be […]
