Swiatek’s Rome title defence ends early, Berrettini and Giron advance

Iga Swiatek was dumped out of the Italian Open on Saturday after the reigning Rome champion suffered a shock 6-1, 7-5 defeat at the hands of Danielle Collins.

World number two Swiatek was hunting a fourth title at the Foro Italico but failed to get past the third round of the last major tournament before the French Open following an uncharacteristically bad display against unfancied Collins.

Veteran Collins, 31, will now face one of Elina Svitolina or fellow American Hailey Baptiste in the last 16 as the world number 35 hunts an unlikely second WTA 1000 title after winning in Miami last year.

“In my mind I was kind of like, well, even though the last couple times we’ve played she’s beaten me, I’ve played some of my best tennis in those matches. So that gave me confidence,” Collins told reporters.

Swiatek’s early exit is a major shock as the Pole usually dominates her rivals on clay and has a hugely impressive record in the Italian capital.

The manner of her defeat is another worrying sign ahead of Roland Garros as she was also thrashed in straight sets by Coco Gauff in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open earlier this month.

Swiatek was barely recognisable from the player who has won four French Open titles, being broken four times in the first set and failing to impose herself at all on Collins, against whom she had previously won eight of nine meetings.

Jasmine Paolini delighted the Rome crowd by sweeping aside Ons Jabeur in straight sets to set up a last 16 clash with Jelena Ostapenko.

Italian fans on centre court were given cause to celebrate in the morning by Rome-born Matteo Berrettini beating Jacob Fearnley in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6 (7/0) in his first match at his home tournament in four years.

The home favourite, who is making his first appearance at the Italian ATP Masters 1000 since 2021, conjured some inspired shotmaking to move past Jacob Fearnley 6-4, 7-6(0) and reach the third round.

Berrettini rallied from 3-5 in the second set and saved two set points on return — both with volley winners — before completing a hard-fought one-hour and 55-minute win.

The former No. 6 and Rome native, Berrettini produced his best run in the capital by reaching the quarter-finals in 2020, but injuries and illness had sidelined the Italian from the clay-court Masters since 2021.

Berrettini, who withdrew from the Madrid Open with the latest in a long line of abdominal injuries, will face Madrid champion Casper Ruud in the third round with the Norwegian beating Alexander Bublik 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

In other early action on Saturday, Marcos Giron stunned countryman and fourth seed Taylor Fritz 7-6(4), 7-6(3) to reach the third round at a clay-court Masters 1000 for the second time in his career (Rome 2022).

The 31-year-old trailed 0-4 in the second set, but displayed expertly measured court craft to work his way back in and frustrate his higher-ranked opponent, sealing his victory after one hour, 45 minutes.

Fabian Marozsan defeated 16th seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 for his second win over a Top-20 opponent on clay. The Hungarian, who memorably defeated Carlos Alcaraz in Rome in 2023, fired 33 winners to Rublev’s 32 in a big-hitting clash en route to levelling the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 2-2.

Eleventh seed Tommy Paul eased past Roberto Autista Agut 6-1, 6-4 to set a third-round meeting with Tomas Machac. The Czech player overcame Learner Tien 6-4, 6-4.

Agencies