Rome Italy) – In a round that was greatly hampered by rain, Sofia Kenin managed to close her debut match at the WTA 1000 in Rome before the schedule was stopped this Wednesday. The North American beat Italian Lucia Bronzetti, 48th in the rankings, by 6/3 and 6/2 in 1h39 of the match.
Former number 4 in the world, Kenin is 25 years old and experienced the best moment of her career in 2020, the year in which she was champion of the Australian Open and runner-up at Roland Garros. After suffering from injuries and health problems, the American dropped out of the top 400 in 2022, she returned to the group of the top 30 last year, but currently appears in 58th place.
Kenin faces Tunisian Ons Jabeur in the second round of Rome, number 9 in the world and finalist of the tournament in 2022. Her record against Jabeur is favorable, five wins and two losses. And against tennis players from the top 10, the American has accumulated ten triumphs, the most recent last year, against Aryna Sabalenka in Rome and Coco Gauff at Wimbledon.
Siniakova will face Mertens, Rybakina awaits decision
Also this Wednesday, Czech Katerina Siniakova defeated Italian Nuria Brancaccio 6/4 and 6/2. Currently 36th in the rankings, Siniakova faces Belgian Elise Mertens, 30th in the world. The history of clashes is largely in favor of the Belgian, who won the four games between them.
Whoever passes between Siniakova and Mertens could face world number 4 and current champion Elena Rybakina in the third round. The Kazakh awaits the winner between the Spanish Rebeka Masarova and the Romanian Irina Begu, in a game that was stopped due to rain before the third set. Masarova won the first 7/5 and Begu took 6/3 in the second.
Games interrupted and postponed
Another game that was stopped in the third set was between Argentine Maria Lourdes Carle and German Laura Siegemund. The decisive partial was tied at 2/2, after Carle had scored 6/2 in the first and Siegemund had won the second by 6/4. The winner will face Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, seeded 32nd in the tournament. Also Argentine Nadia Podoroska was 3/1 in the first set against Spain’s Sara Sorribes. Whoever wins will face Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
World number 2 Aryna Sabalenka will only meet her opponent on Thursday, as the game between China’s Yafan Wang and North American Katie Volynets was postponed due to rain. In the same situation is the Greek Maria Sakkari, who awaits the winner between the Italian Federica di Sarra and the French Varvara Gracheva.
