IT was a horror day for the top seeds on Day 5 of the 2021 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, as seven of the top talent fell including three of the top five. It was also a scrappy day for the United States, as just two of eight American competitors proceeded to the third round.

With so many huge outs on the day, it was the fall of Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep and Sofia Kenin that had jaws dropping with the second, third and fourth seeds all unable to get wins on the board. While Osaka challenged unseeded American Jessica Pegula early on, she could not arrest back momentum and fell 7-6(2) 6-2 in just 87 minutes. Kenin has been in shaky form this year and has struggled to hit the height of her early 2020 form, something that was evident in her 6-1 6-4 loss to Czech Barbora Krejcikova. Meanwhile, former world number one Angelique Kerber got an easy look into the third round despite dropping the first set 1-6 to Halep, as the Romanian was forced to retire midway through the second set with a left calf injury – now confirmed to be a tear.

“In the first set I think my start was a little bit slow. I was not moving too good. I know that I have to move good against Simona, that the rallies are long. I was not serving actually too good in the first few service games on my serve,” Kerber said after the match.

“In the second set I knew, ‘Okay, now I have to fight for every ball, I have to move better, and maybe not overthink everything.’ Also not looking on the scoreboard. Just playing point by point. I was focusing more on my service game, because I start to play better in the second set. Then suddenly she called the trainer. I know that Simona is not calling trainers just like this.

“I knew, ‘Okay, something happened.’ But I really didn’t see the moment, so I don’t know what exactly happened in the moment. But, of course, I was feeling so bad with her, because this is not the way I would like to finish a tough match against also a friend on the other side.”

Eighth seed champion Serena Williams also had her tournament cut short by a rampaging Nadia Podoroska, who claimed her third career win over a top 10 player. Whilst Williams kept her guessing, Podoroska fought hard for the 7-6(6) 7-5 victory and claimed 52 per cent of the total points to claim the win.

“It’s special win. [To] play against her, it’s an honour for me. I saw her playing when I grew up, so it was a special match for me,” Podoroska said post-match.

“But most of all, I’m happy the way I played. I felt again comfortable on clay, on my game, and that’s most important for me. I think it was a very good match, high level. I knew that I have to play every point, fight for every ball. She didn’t play a tournament for a while, so I knew that maybe she did too many mistakes at the beginning or I have to push her to do them. But I think I played a great match.”

“It’s tough to have a first match on clay. It was definitely kind of good to go the distance and to try to be out there, but clearly I can do legions better,” Williams said.

“She has a good game, for sure, obviously. She’s very consistent. Overall, it was good for me to play such a clay court player on clay today, but it’s a little frustrating. But it’s all right. It is what it is.”

Petra Kvitova, Jennifer Brady and Maria Sakkari were the remaining three seeds to fall, with the second failing to take the court confirming a walkover prior, as the latter was downed by teenager Coco Gauff in a seesawing 6-1 1-6 6-1 affair. Meanwhile, top seed Ash Barty was joined by Elina Svitolina, Aryna Sabalenka, Karolina Pliskova, Garbine Muguruza and Iga Swiatek in the next round, with three of the aforementioned names claiming wins over American talent.

The remaining winners on the day were Jelena Ostapenko, Petra Martic and Veronika Kudermetova.

INTERNAZIONALI BNL D’ITALIA ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[1] Ash Barty (AUS) defeated Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 6-4 6-1
Jessica Pegula (USA) defeated [2] Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7-6 6-2
Angelique Kerber (GER) defeated [3] Simona Halep (ROM) 1-6 3-3 RET
Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) defeated [4] Sofia Kenin (USA) 6-1 6-4
[5] Elina Svitolina (UKR) defeated Amanda Anisimova (USA) 2-6 6-3 6-4
[7] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) defeated Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 7-5 6-1
Nadia Podoroska (ARG) defeated [8] Serena Williams (USA) 7-6 7-5
[9] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) defeated Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 6-2 6-3
Vera Zvonareva (RUS) defeated [11] Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6-4 3-6 6-4
[12] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) defeated Bernarda Pera (USA) 2-6 6-0 7-5
Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) defeated [13] Jennifer Brady (USA) W/O
[15] Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated Madison Keys (USA) 7-5 6-1
Coco Gauff (USA) defeated [17] Maria Sakkari (GRE) 6-1 1-6 6-1
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) defeated Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-2 7-6
Petra Martic (CRO) defeated Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 7-5 6-3
Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) defeated Caroline Garcia (FRA) 6-4 6-4

Picture credit: Jimmie48/WTA