Champion in Rome for the past two years, Iga Swiatek edged Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the fourth round of the Italian Open on Sunday.
After crushing Anastasia Pavlyucenkova 6-0, 6-0 in her opener, Swiatek extended her winning streak at Foro Italico to 13.
Swiatek had 22 winners against 2 for Tsurenko.
“I just try to be consistent and play my style,” Swiatek said. I approach every match as if it were a final. I try to have the right state of mind before a match and to have a high level of energy. »
If the Pole lifts the trophy again, she will join Chris Evert and Conchita Martinez as players who have won three consecutive titles in Rome.
Tournament favourite, Swiatek will face Donna Vekic, who defeated Liudmila Samsonova 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2.
Coco Gauff, finalist at Roland-Garros last year, was eliminated by Marie Bouzkova, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Marketa Vondrousova defeated Maria Sakkari 7-5, 6-3.
Madison Keys advanced to the next round when Victoria Azarenka forfeited with a right leg injury.
On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic showed Grigor Dimitrov the way out to enter the fourth round.
Djokovic lost four straight games in the second set, but rebounded to win 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.
The Serb won 12 straight points at some point in the encounter and he broke Dimitrov in the first game of the third set.
Djokovic improved his career record against the Bulgarian to 11-1.
Returning to action after three weeks with a right elbow problem, Djokovic is aiming for a seventh career title in Rome.
He will face in the next round Cameron Norrie, scorer of Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Holger Rune kept his composure in front of a hostile crowd and took down Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-2.
Fognini expressed his dissatisfaction with a decision by the chair umpire in the first inning when he came to look at the mark left by the ball on the ground.
“How can you say that ball is off-line?” How can you make this mistake? There is no space, said Fognini. It’s impossible. How can you be so bad? »
Daniil Medvedev earned a first career victory in Rome beating Emil Ruusuvuori 6-4, 6-2. The Russian had lost his first match in his three previous appearances at Foro Italico.
Stefanos Tsitsipas needed just two wins to confirm his 6-3, 6-3 win over Nuno Borges. The match was suspended on Saturday due to rain.
German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann surprised Taylor Fritz (noh 9) 6-4, 6-1.
Alexander Zverev, champion in Rome in 2017, defeated David Goffin 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Lorenzo Musetti beat compatriot Matteo Arnaldi 6-4, 6-4; and another Italian, Marco Cecchinato, eliminated Roberto Bautista Agut, 21e seeded, 6-2, 6-2.