Amazing Aryna: Sabalenka storms into 3rd round; Paolini sizzles early

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Aryna Sabalenka breezed into the third round of the Italian Open on Thursday with a straight-sets win over Barbora Krejcikova, 6-2, 6-3.

World No. 1 and favorite for the women’s title in the Italian capital, Sabalenka took one hour and 25 minutes to see off Czech Krejcikova in the final match of the day on center court.

Sabalenka has never won the Italian Open. Her run to the final two years ago, when she lost to Iga Swiatek, was her best result.

But with the French Open around the corner, the Belarusian made no mistake against Krejcikova, a former Wimbledon and French Open champion.

Sabalenka lost the first game on her serve, but from there comfortably dealt with Krejcikova to set up a match with Sorana Cirstea in the next round.

“I’m super happy to be through. She’s a great player. We had a lot of tough matches in the past,” Sabalenka said on court.

“I’m of course happy with the level I played and to get this tough win.”

The top seed is on the same side of the draw as Coco Gauff, who beat Sabalenka in last year’s French Open final and made short work of Tereza Valentova in her opening match of the tournament.

American star Gauff beat Valentova 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 34 minutes in front of a sparsely-populated centre court, and will play Argentine Solana Sierra in the next round.

Earlier, Jasmine Paolini launched her title defence by battling back from a set down to beat France’s Leolia Jeanjean 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-4.

Home hope Paolini is bidding to become the first Italian woman to retain the title in Rome, but started slowly at the Foro Italico.

The world No. 8 turned on the afterburners after going behind following an error-strewn first set, comfortably turning around the match to secure a spot in the third round, where she will meet Elise Mertens.

“This match was a bit of ups and downs, for sure. But I remember last year, I mean, also a lot of up and downs during the tournament,” Paolini said.

Paolini’s compatriot Matteo Berrettini fell at the first hurdle, 6-2, 6-3, to Alexei Popyrin, a defeat which will see the former Wimbledon finalist drop out of the top 100 in the men’s rankings.

The Rome native has had a hideous time with abdominal injuries in recent years, and since the start of the season — when he had to pull out of the Australian Open — he has won just nine matches and lost 10.

“It was a pretty bad day, I had no energy, and I wasn’t able to use the energy of the crowd,” Berrettini said.

“This year started in a particular way, and the only way I can move forward is to accept that there will be days like this.”

Another Italian, Lorenzo Sonego, was dumped out at the first time of asking, the 30-year-old seeing off in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 by Peru’s Ignacio Buse on center court.