Novak Djokovic overcame Taylor Fritz in rainy Rome on Tuesday to take his place in the third round.
The world No.1 was one of four players progressing to the last 16 of the men’s draw; the others were Kei Nishikori, Reilly Opelka and Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat last year’s Rome finalist Diego Schwartzman for the loss of just four games.
In the women’s draw, Garbine Muguruza charged into the second round following a brilliant 6-1 6-2 win over Patricia Maria Tig.
Also progressing was three-time major champion Angelique Kerber, who beat Alize Cornet to set up a clash with defending champion Simona Halep, the No.3 seed.
Other women’s winners on Tuesday included Jelena Ostapenko (over Johanna Konta), Madison Keys (over Sloane Stephens) and Nadia Podoroska.
Podoroska, a semifinalist at Roland Garros last year, will next face Serena Williams, who will be contesting her 1000th professional match.
Kerber-Halep is one of several blockbuster second-round matches taking place as part of an impressive order of play scheduled for the Foro Italico on Wednesday.
Djokovic survives Fritz again
The last time Djokovic played Fritz was in the third round of AO 2021, a match that extended five sets and during which the Serb sustained an abdominal injury.
While it did not extend the full distance on Tuesday, defending champion Djokovic was again pushed hard by the rising American.
Djokovic served for the match at 5-4 in the second set only to get broken, at which point his frustration boiled over at the persistent rain.
Play was suspended for several hours and when it resumed, Fritz rebounded from 2-4 down in the tiebreak to come within two points of a third set.
Djokovic responded by winning the final three points to seal a 6-3 7-6(5) victory.
"I haven't played a lot at all, so I don't feel physically exhausted or worn out," said Djokovic, who is playing just his fifth event of 2021.
"I kind of kept the match under my control for most part of the two sets, then served for the match; very sloppy service game.
“He played well, made a great passing shot to come back. I was stressed out in the end obviously.”
In second-round results, last week’s Madrid finalist Matteo Berrettini, playing in his home city, overcame Munich champion Nikoloz Basilashvili in three sets.
He will next take on Australian John Millman, who got past Dusan Lajovic 6-3 6-4.
No.13 seed Denis Shapovalov was another winner, as was 10th seed Roberto Bautista Agut, thanks to a 6-3 6-4 win over qualifier Tommy Paul.
Exiting the event were No.14 seed Gael Monfils – who fell to ATP Cagliari champion Lorenzo Sonego of Italy – and 16th seed Grigor Dimitrov, who bowed out to in-form Spanish qualifier Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Major champs Muguruza, Kerber, Ostapenko advance
Muguruza struck 20 winners to 11 unforced errors in a commanding performance against Tig, a result improving her 2021 record to 22-6.
She showed few signs of the thigh injury which kept her off tour since Charleston and will next face Bernarda Pera, a straight-sets winner over Tamara Zidansek.
“I played here so many times, I've had nice matches. I love this clay, the red clay. It's familiar to me,” said Muguruza, a three-time semifinalist in Rome. “Just looking forward to get as many matches as possible."
Victory in the Roman rain!
— wta (@WTA) May 11, 2021
?? @GarbiMuguruza defeats Tig 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the @InteBNLdItalia second round. pic.twitter.com/Vey93Idoop
Keys, meanwhile, beat lucky loser Stephens for just the second time in six meetings to set a second-round battle with reigning Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek.
Kerber’s 6-2 7-5 victory over Cornet will ensure a 12th career meeting against Halep, who leads the series 6-5; few of those matches were more memorable than their Australian Open 2018 semifinal.
The winner of that match could play Ostapenko in the last 16; the Latvian hit Konta off the court to win 6-3 6-1 and will next play Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic, who upset 2019 French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets.
Also advancing to round two were Frenchwomen Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic, and in-form Russian Veronika Kudermetova, who upset No.14 seed Elise Mertens 4-6 6-2 6-3.