• Published on 05/06/2024 – 09:43 • Rome (ITA)
The main draw for the WTA 1000 in Rome, Italy, was announced this Monday (6), an event with a prize pool of US$5.5 million (R$27.8 million), on clay.
Bia Haddad Maia, number 13 in the world, was chosen as the 12th seed and will debut against a Chinese woman, the winner of the game between Xinyu Wang, 42nd, and Yue Yuan, 38th. Against Wang, the Brazilian leads 3-1. Against Yuan, it would be an unprecedented duel.
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She may have, in the third round, the American Madison Keys, 18th favorite, who was a semifinalist in Madrid. In the round of 16, possible clashes against the Wimbledon champion, the Czech Marketa Vondrousova, sixth favorite, or the Romanian Sorana Cirstea, seeded 28th, and who has victories against Bia Haddad on the circuit.
If she advances, the São Paulo native could face Polish Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, number 1 in the world who defeated Bia in Madrid and became champion. Swiatek debuts against American Caroline Dolehide or a qualifier and has, in the third round, American Sloane Stephens and, in the round of 16, a possible clash against Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, 14th favorite.
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In the men’s bracket, which distributes 9 million euros in prize money (R$ 48.6 million), Thiago Wild, 61st placed, awaits a qualifier in the first round at Foro Itálico, which will only be decided on Tuesday (7). For the second round, Argentine Tomas Etcheverry, seed 25, will face him. If he wins, he could face Nadal. Rafa also debuts against a qualifier and, in the second round, faces the Polish Hubert Hurkacz, seed 7.
Wild reached the third round of this year’s three Masters 1000s, passing quali in Indian Wells and Miami and going straight into Madrid, where he fell to Carlos Alcaraz. Nadal will play for the last time in his career in Rome, a tournament he has won ten times, and is coming from the round of 16 in the Spanish capital.
