Italian Open is yet to deliver any major surprises from the WTA tour side as Simona Halep, Belinda Bencic, Coco Gauff, and Leyla Fernandes were among the big names to already qualify for the next round of the Italian Open.
Halep, still looking to regain her major winning form under the new tutelage, defeated Alize Cornet 6-4, 6-4 in 1 hour and 25 minutes.
The Rome champion in 2020 had come into the match trailing Cornet 1-4 in a rivalry dating back to 2011 but managed to navigate all of the match’s most competitive moments to eke a competitive two-set win.
The Romanian sets up a second-round clash against Australian Open finalist and No.7 seed Danielle Collins.
No.16 seed Victoria Azarenka router Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 6-0 in a repeat of the Madrid Open clash which was not even close this time around.
The 2013 Rome finalist took just 68 minutes to win dropping just five points behind her first serve and racing through 12 of the last 14 points.
Leylah Fernandez overcame a tough start to defeat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Fernandez after losing seven straight games to fall behind, completed a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 comeback over the No.14 seed in 1 hour, 54 minutes.
It was the Canadian’s first win on the clay courts of Rome having been bounced in the first round on the previous two occasions.
No.12 seed Belinda Bencic overcame an early scare against Elisabetta Cocciaretto but the Swiss Olympic gold medalist eased to a 6-4, 6-2 victory after trailing 3-1 early on.
The win is just Bencic’s third all-time in six trips to Rome.
Joining them in the next round is the 2021 semifinalist Coco Gauff.
The No. 15 seed needed just 70 minutes to defeat former world No. 1 and three-time major-winner Angelique Kerber, 6-1, 6-4, with little trouble after losing serve to start the match.
There is plenty of action left as a returning Iga Swiatek and the recently crowned Madrid Open champion Ons Jabeur are yet to take the courts.
