Sinner, Sabalenka advance in Italian Open
Published: 04:05 PM,May 13,2025 | EDITED : 08:05 PM,May 13,2025
Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning against Netherland Jesper De Jong at the end of their round of 16 men's singles match of the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 12, 2025. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)
ROME: World number one Sinner continued his Foro Italico comeback from a three-month doping ban by dealing with lucky loser Jesper de Jong 6-4, 6-2 and setting up a clash with Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo on Tuesday. Sinner was knocked out in the last 16 by Cerundolo the last time he played here, in 2023, and he is under no illusions that the 17th seed will be a big step up after low-ranked opponents in his first two matches.
'Tomorrow will be a big day for me, because I'll need to raise my game against him,' Sinner told reporters.
The over 10,000 fans crammed into the centre court stands hoped Sinner can end a 49-year wait for an Italian winner of the men's tournament in the capital.
But Monday's win was in reality another warm-up for the 23-year-old's stated objective of arriving at the French Open in top form.
Sinner's compatriot Jasmine Paolini cruised past Jelena Ostapenko and into the women's quarterfinals, easing past her Latvian opponent in straight sets 7-5, 6-2.
Sixth seed Paolini will face Diana Shnaider in the last eight as she eyes another deep run in a 1000 series tournament after losing to world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who later takes on Marta Kostyuk, in the Miami semifinals. Fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini made a tearful exit as he retired with an abdominal problem while trailing sixth seed Casper Ruud 7-5, 2-0 in their clash.
Ruud next plays 66th-ranked Spaniard Jaume Munar for a place in the quarterfinals, where he could face Sinner.
SABALENKA THROUGH
Sabalenka again had to fight to beat Kostyuk 6-1, 7-6 (10/8) in the day's final match, taking just half an hour to win the first set but then being truly tested before sealing a spot in the women's last eight.
'I'm just thrilled with the performance today, I really enjoyed this fight and super happy to get this win,' she said.
Sabalenka will face eighth seed Qinwen Zheng next with a third 1000 series crown of the season just before the tennis world decamps to Paris for the second Grand Slam of the year.
Coco Gauff could be Sabalenka's opponent in the semifinals after the American made short work of Emma Raducanu, winning 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour to reach the last eight where Mirra Andreeva awaits.
Naomi Osaka's struggle for form at the top level continued with her 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) defeat to Peyton Stearns.
In the quarterfinals Stearns will face Elina Svitolina, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Danielle Collins, after coming through an attritional match which lasted the best part of three hours on a baking centre court.
OSAKA OUT
Naomi Osaka's struggle for form at the top level continued with her 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) defeat to Peyton Stearns.
In the quarterfinals Stearns will face Elina Svitolina, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Danielle Collins, after coming through an attritional match which lasted the best part of three hours on a baking centre court.
Osaka is another big name that American Stearns has beaten in Rome after also knocking out fifth seed Madison Keys in the previous round.
Former world number one Osaka has looked a long way from the player who won four Grand Slams.
She returned last year from a 15-month break from tennis for the birth of her daughter.
Her comeback was also hampered by an abdominal injury that forced her out of the Australian Open, after which early exits at Indian Wells and Madrid highlighted how far she was from her best.
Osaka warmed up for Rome by winning a minor event in Saint Malo in France earlier this month.
But she has failed to get past the last 16 of a tournament higher than the WTA 125 series since losing the Auckland final back in January.
Coco Gauff made short work of Britain's Emma Raducanu, winning 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour to reach the last eight where Mirra Andreeva awaits. — AFP
'Tomorrow will be a big day for me, because I'll need to raise my game against him,' Sinner told reporters.
The over 10,000 fans crammed into the centre court stands hoped Sinner can end a 49-year wait for an Italian winner of the men's tournament in the capital.
But Monday's win was in reality another warm-up for the 23-year-old's stated objective of arriving at the French Open in top form.
Sinner's compatriot Jasmine Paolini cruised past Jelena Ostapenko and into the women's quarterfinals, easing past her Latvian opponent in straight sets 7-5, 6-2.
Sixth seed Paolini will face Diana Shnaider in the last eight as she eyes another deep run in a 1000 series tournament after losing to world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who later takes on Marta Kostyuk, in the Miami semifinals. Fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini made a tearful exit as he retired with an abdominal problem while trailing sixth seed Casper Ruud 7-5, 2-0 in their clash.
Ruud next plays 66th-ranked Spaniard Jaume Munar for a place in the quarterfinals, where he could face Sinner.
SABALENKA THROUGH
Sabalenka again had to fight to beat Kostyuk 6-1, 7-6 (10/8) in the day's final match, taking just half an hour to win the first set but then being truly tested before sealing a spot in the women's last eight.
'I'm just thrilled with the performance today, I really enjoyed this fight and super happy to get this win,' she said.
Sabalenka will face eighth seed Qinwen Zheng next with a third 1000 series crown of the season just before the tennis world decamps to Paris for the second Grand Slam of the year.
Coco Gauff could be Sabalenka's opponent in the semifinals after the American made short work of Emma Raducanu, winning 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour to reach the last eight where Mirra Andreeva awaits.
Naomi Osaka's struggle for form at the top level continued with her 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) defeat to Peyton Stearns.
In the quarterfinals Stearns will face Elina Svitolina, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Danielle Collins, after coming through an attritional match which lasted the best part of three hours on a baking centre court.
OSAKA OUT
Naomi Osaka's struggle for form at the top level continued with her 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) defeat to Peyton Stearns.
In the quarterfinals Stearns will face Elina Svitolina, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Danielle Collins, after coming through an attritional match which lasted the best part of three hours on a baking centre court.
Osaka is another big name that American Stearns has beaten in Rome after also knocking out fifth seed Madison Keys in the previous round.
Former world number one Osaka has looked a long way from the player who won four Grand Slams.
She returned last year from a 15-month break from tennis for the birth of her daughter.
Her comeback was also hampered by an abdominal injury that forced her out of the Australian Open, after which early exits at Indian Wells and Madrid highlighted how far she was from her best.
Osaka warmed up for Rome by winning a minor event in Saint Malo in France earlier this month.
But she has failed to get past the last 16 of a tournament higher than the WTA 125 series since losing the Auckland final back in January.
Coco Gauff made short work of Britain's Emma Raducanu, winning 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour to reach the last eight where Mirra Andreeva awaits. — AFP