Zverev and Medvedev cruise into Italian Open last 16, Sabalenka battles past Kenin

Rome: Alexander Zverev continued his Italian Open title defence by cruising past qualifier Vilius Gaubas and reaching the last 16, as Aryna Sabalenka progressed with a battling 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Sofia Kenin.

Zverev barely broke a sweat on centre court against Gaubas, easing to a 6-4, 6-0 win to set up a last-16 clash with France’s Arthur Fils.

The world number two took one hour 26 minutes to see off Gaubas, suggesting that the burn-out he said he was suffering earlier in the year might be behind him.

Zverev is hoping a good defence of his Rome crown will set him up to go one better than last year at the French Open and be crowned champion.

But he will face a much tougher test against Fils, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, than the one put up by Gaubas.

“In the beginning it was a bit difficult for me, it was also very, very windy,” said Zverev.

“The wind really calmed down after the first set and then it’s easier to get into a rhythm, easier for me to have clean strokes.”

It was a good day for French players in the men’s tournament with Fils’ win and world number 83 Corentin Moutet shocking Holger Rune 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7/4) on the picturesque Pietrangeli court to claim his first ever win over a top-10 player.

Fils came through an eventful match with former Rome finalist Tsitsipas which ended with the pair arguing over the net.

Tsitsipas was angry at Fils for ignoring his apologies after the Greek accidentally hit his opponent with a shot in the seventh game of the second set, sparking a post-match row which caused the umpire to come down from his chair.

Daniil Medvedev swept past Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-1 and next faces home hope Lorenzo Musetti who followed Sabalenka on centre court by beating Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-3.

World number one Sabalenka came through a tough match with former Australian Open winner Kenin to set up a clash with Marta Kostyuk, who beat Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2. The Belarusian has reached the final of her last four tournaments, winning in both Miami and Madrid, and is now hot favourite at the Foro Italico even after Sunday’s below-par display.

Last year’s losing finalist was not at the races in the first set, consistently misplacing her backhands before appearing to complain about the surface on centre court.

“I was completely off, and I’m really glad I was able to cool myself down and... start focusing on the game and the right things,” Sabalenka told reporters.

Sabalenka has a great opportunity to claim her third 1000 series crown of the season, after three-time winner Iga Swiatek was dumped out by Danielle Collins on Saturday.

One of Sabalenka’s key rivals for the women’s title, Coco Gauff, cruised past Magda Linette in straight sets 7-5, 6-3 and will be expected to see off Emma Raducanu in the next round.

Earlier, Jannik Sinner made no mistake on his return to tennis on Saturday after a three-month doping ban, sweeping aside Mariano Navone in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 at the Italian Open in front of thrilled fans in Rome.

Sinner makes triumphant return from doping ban: World number one Sinner cruised past Argentina’s Navone in one hour and 39 minutes in front of over 10,000 supporters at the Foro Italico to set up a third-round clash with lucky loser Jesper de Jong.

The Italian had not played since winning the Australian Open in January due to the suspension he accepted from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) the following month.

He twice tested positive for traces of banned substance clostebol in March last year, although WADA accepted that the 23-year-old had been accidentally contaminated by his physiotherapist.

And Sinner delighted a partisan and packed centre court in the Italian capital, shaking off the cobwebs as he eyes a run at Roland Garros later this month.

“I tried to give everything I have, you know, I think that’s the only thing I can do. That’s the only thing I can control right now.” said Sinner.

Agence France-Presse