Update: 22.05.2022 23:45
Released: 22.05.2022, 23:29
Rome – World number one Iga wiateková extended his WTA Tour winning streak to 25 matches at the clay tournament in Rome. Today, the Polish tennis player defeated one of her predecessors on the world throne, Victoria Azarenkova of Belarus, 6:4, 6:1 in the 3rd round of the Italian Forum. For the first time since 2008, ten-time champion Rafael Nadal will miss men’s singles in the quarter-finals of the local Masters. The Spaniard had health problems and succumbed to Canadian Denis Shapovalov 6:1, 5:7 and 2:6.
Defending champion wiateková did the job with Azarenka especially in the first set, which lasted 80 minutes. Thirty-two-year-old Belarus led 3-0, but then the twelve-year-old’s younger favourite with five wins turned around and progressed to the quarter-finals.
After wins in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and Stuttgart, Swiatek is eyeing a fifth straight tournament win. The last time American Serena Williams, had a longer draw than the current Warsaw native, who won 27 consecutive games at the turn of the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
In the men’s tournament, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece beat Russia’s Karen Khachanov 4:6, 6:0, 6:3 and scored his 29th win of the season, which is his best on the ATP Tour this year. 2017 Rome tournament winner and last week’s finalist from Madrid Alexander Zverev of Germany beat Australia’s Alexander De Minaur 6:3, 7:6.
The attractive duel of grand slam champion Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka became a highlight for the world number one from Serbia. Five-time tournament winner Djokovic beat the returning Swiss after a quarter hour 6:2, 6:2 and advanced to the quarter-finals in Rome from 2007 for the sixteenth time in a row.
Thirty-five-year-old Nadal easily won the first set over Shapovalov, but then he suffered from chronic foot problems and, as in the previous tournament in Madrid, said goodbye unexpectedly early. He finished in the quarter-finals on clay. “It started midway through the second set,” he admits.
Nadal had to end last season with a foot pain in August, and today the same injury. “I’m not doing anything new, it’s still the same,” said the record 21 grand slam winner. In ten days, Roland Garros will start in Paris, where the clay king should try to improve his record balance with a 14th title.
Men’s and women’s tennis tournaments in Rome
(clay, male subsidy 5,415,410 euros / women 2,527,250 euros):
Man:
Single – Round 3:
Djokovic (1-SRB) – Wawrinka (Switzerland) 6:2, 6:2, Zverev (2-Germany) – De Minaur (Austr.) 6:3, 7:6 (7:5), Shapovalov (13-R) .) – Nadal (3-Sp.) 1:6, 7:5, 6:2, Tsitsipas (4-Greek) – Khachanov (RUS) 4:6, 6:0, 6:3, Ruud (5- NOR ) – Brooksby (USA) 6:3, 6:4, Auger-Aliassime (8-CAN) – Giron (USA) 6:3, 6:2, Sinner (10-It.) – Krajinovič (SRB) 6:2 , 7:6 (8:6), Garín (Chile) – ilič (Croatia) 6:3, 4:6, 6:4.
Woman:
Single – Round 3:
wiateková (1-Pol.) – Azarenková (16-Bel.) 6:4, 6:1, Sabalenková (3-Bel.) – Pegulaová (13-USA) 6:1, 6:4, Sakkarivá (4-Greece ) .) – Gauff (15-USA) 6:4, 7:5, Anisimov (USA) – Collins (7-USA) 6:2, 6:2, Jaburova (9-Tun.) – Putincevova (Kaz.) 6: 3, 6: 2, Teichmannová (Šv.) – Rybakinová (Kaz.) 6: 7 (3:7), 6: 3, 7:5, Andreescuová (Kan.) – Martičová (Chorv.) 6: 4 , 6: 4.
Doubles – Round 2:
HradeckaMirza (6-CZ / India) – Rybakinova, Samsonovova (Kaz./Rus.) Bez boju, Aoyama, Chan Chaoqing (8-Jap./Taiwan) – Ostapenkova, Karolina Pliskova (Lot./CR) 6: 3, 5: 7, 10: 7.
