The 11th-seeded Veronika Kudermetova qualified for the Round of 16 of the WTA 1000 Rome Open with a prize fund of 7.7 million EUR, defeating her compatriot from Russia Anastasia Potapova by 2-1 (7:5, 3:6, 6:1) in 2:25 hours of play.
The first set started equally and both players won their serving games, before exchanging two breaks for each. Veronika Kudermetova succeeded to materialize another breakpoint in the 11th game and won her serve game on zero to close the set at 7:5.
In the second set, Anastasia Potapova lost the first game, but then returned three breaks and took a lead of 5:1, which gave her enough lead to succeeded winning the set at 6:3.
The cornerstone of the third set was the second game, which was the longest in the match and was won by Veronika Kudermetova, giving her a lead of 2:0. Anastasia Potapova succeeded to return the break immediately, but Veronika Kudermetova used the pace and won the next four games to close the set at 6:1.
Thus, she qualified for the Round of 16, where will face the winner of today’s clash between the 6th-seeded Cori Coco Gauff (USA) and Marie Bouzkova (Czech Republic).
The Colombian tennis player Camila Osorio surprisingly continued in the next phase, defeating one of the favorites – the 5th-seeded Caroline Garcia (France) by 2-0 (6:4, 6:4).
The Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina also won a place in the Round of 16 after success over Sofia Kenin (USA) by 2-0 (6:4, 6:2).
The Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia prevailed against the Polish tennis player Magda Linette by 2-0 (7:5, 6:4).
Two representatives of China also earned a place in the Round of 16. Xiyu Wang defeated Taylor Townsend (USA) by 2-1 (6:2, 0:6, 7:5), while her compatriot Qinwen Zheng eliminated Anna Bondar (Hungary) by 2-0 (7:6, 6:4).
