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Rome: Williams, Osaka exit on day of upsets

  • Matt Trollope

Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Sofia Kenin, Petra Kvitova and Daniil Medvedev bowed out of the Italian Open during a dramatic day of action in Rome on Wednesday. 

Playing the 1,000th tour-level match of her career, and her first since losing to Osaka in the Australian Open semifinals, Williams showed glimpses of brilliance yet went down 7-6(6) 7-5 to Nadia Podoroska, a semifinalist at Roland Garros last year.

"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 after the entertaining two-hour tussle. "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."

Earlier in the day, Osaka’s struggles on clay continued when the Japanese star let slip a winning position – plus three set points in the opening set – to fall 7-6(2) 6-2 to Jessica Pegula.

No.3 seed Medvedev, who like Osaka has found the transition to clay courts challenging, bowed out in straight sets to the surging Aslan Karatsev, and has now lost eight of his past nine matches on the surface dating back to 2019. 

Williams and Osaka were projected to meet in the quarterfinals but their losses have blown that quarter wide open; either Podorsoka, Pegula, Petra Martic or Ekaterina Alexandrova will become a Rome semifinalist.

DRAW: Rome women's singles

World No.1 Ash Barty and nine-time Rome champion Rafael Nadal restored some order to the event, with both winning through to the third round in straight sets. 

Also advancing were Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Aryna Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina, Iga Swiatek and Garbine Muguruza.

Injury scares for women’s stars

Muguruza, playing in her first event since a thigh injury forced her out of Charleston, look headed for the exit when she trailed Bernarda Pera 4-1 in the final set.

But despite a medical timeout and finishing the match with her right thigh wrapped, she recovered to win 2-6 6-0 7-5 to improve her 2021 win-loss record to 23-6.

Muguruza will next face two-time Rome champion Svitolina, who survived a three-set struggle with Amanda Anisimova.

There was worse news for defending champion Simona Halep, who was controlling her match against Angelique Kerber before a calf tear ended her campaign.

Halep was leading the match 6-1, 2-0, 40-15 but shortly after began experiencing extreme discomfort, and was forced to retire at 3-3 in the second set.

The injury puts in doubt her participation at Roland Garros, where she was a winner in 2018.

Kerber moves on to the third round where she will take on a resurgent Jelena Ostapenko; the 2017 French Open champion advanced with a 6-2 7-6(3) victory over Ajla Tomljanovic.

Barty, Sabalenka, Swiatek progress

In one of the first results of the day, Barty recovered from a break down in the first set to beat Yaroslava Shvedova 6-4 6-1.

She remains on course for a blockbuster quarterfinal clash with Sabalenka, who crushed an absurd 53 winners in beating Sara Sorribes Tormo 7-5 6-1.

RELATED: Sabalenka beats Barty for Madrid title

But first, Barty must clear the hurdle presented by Veronika Kudermetova, the 2021 Charleston champion who beat Caroline Carcia in straight sets.

Sabalenka, meanwhile, faces teen talent Coco Gauff, who earned a sixth career top-20 win thanks to a 6-1 1-6 6-1 triumph against No.17 seed Maria Sakkari. 

Iga Swiatek avoided the upset bug, saving three set points at 3-5, 0-40 to eventually defeat Madison Keys 7-5 6-1. 

Like Barty, she won 10 of the final 11 games of the match.

But instead of a Roland Garros final rematch against No.4 seed Sofia Kenin, the Polish star will take on Barbora Krejcikova, who upset the AO 2020 champion in straight sets. 

Another upset winner was qualifier Vera Zvonareva; the former world No.2, now a 36-year-old mother ranked outside the top 100, stunned Kvitova in three sets in what was the pair’s first meeting since the WTA Finals a decade ago.

Zvonareva next plays ninth seed Karolina Pliskova, who dropped just five games in beating Anastasija Sevastova.

Nadal returns to form

After a straight-sets loss to Zverev in Madrid last week, Nadal looked backed to his best during an entertaining 7-5 6-4 win over Jannik Sinner.

Nadal was down a break twice in the first set and trailed 4-2 in the second, but elevated his level against the impressive Italian youngster to set up a clash with No.13 seed Denis Shapovalov.

“I was on court with big respect for him and very focussed every single moment. That's why I am here with a victory," Nadal said. "I think I did a lot of things well. I played a solid match. Very pleased with the victory.”

Zverev, meanwhile, extended his winning streak to six after cruising to a 6-2 6-2 win against Hugo Dellien.

Tsitsipas was another straight-sets winner, beating one-time US Open champion Marin Cilic to earn a meeting with No.9 seed Matteo Berrettini, a 6-4 6-2 victor over Australia’s John Millman.

However, Thiem was forced to toil against Marton Fucsovics, falling behind 6-3 3-1 and coming within two points of defeat before completing a 3-6 7-6(5) 6-0 triumph.

Also advancing on Wednesday were No.7 seed Andrey Rublev and 10th seed Roberto Bautista Agut, while Karatsev will next face Reilly Opelka in a quarter of the draw no longer containing any seeds.