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It was Osaka’s first victory over a top-50 player on clay
since defeating Victoria Azarenka at the 2019 French Open.
Osaka was proud of the way she maintained her mental focus
after dropping her serve while serving for the first set at 5-3.
“Just being able to hang in there and eventually close it on
my terms is something that I’m very proud of myself for,” she said.
It’s also the first time that Osaka is playing in Rome since
2019 — when she reached the quarterfinals.
Osaka, who was formerly ranked No. 1 but is now No. 173
after a maternity break, served eight aces and produced 27 winners to her
opponent’s 10. She’ll next face 19th-seeded Marta Kostyuk, who reached the
final of a clay event in Stuttgart, Germany, recently.
Also, qualifier Bernarda Pera beat fellow American Caroline
Dolehide 7-6 (6), 6-3 and will next face top-ranked Iga Swiatek; Magda Linette
beat Zhu Lin 6-3, 6-2; Brenda Fruhvirtova rallied past Taylor Townsend 3-6,
6-2, 6-0; and Lesia Tsurenko eliminated Donna Vekic 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5).
In men’s action, Argentine-born Italian Luciano Darderi had
strong crowd support in a 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over Denis Shapovalov
on Campo Centrale; Brazilian qualifier Thiago Monteiro eliminated Gael Monfils
6-2, 7-5; and Yoshihito Nishioka defeated Sebastian Ofner 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (4).
Several other matches were postponed due to rain.
Rafael Nadal, the record 10-time Rome champion, opens
against Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs on Thursday.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic, who is also back in Rome after a
month out, is on the opposite half of the draw from Nadal. But second-ranked
Jannik Sinner and third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz both withdrew because of
injuries.
Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini also withdrew,
saying he wasn’t ready to compete following a series of physical issues.
And the Italian federation announced that Camila Giorgi, an
Italian who was once ranked as high as No. 26 and won a WTA 1000 event in
Montreal 2021, has retired.
Rome is the last big warmup tournament before the French
Open, which starts May 26. -AP