This Tuesday’s day at the WTA 1,000 in Rome left us with an outstanding surprise in the women’s draw: the elimination of the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, eleventh favorite for the title. Ostapenko was surprised by American Lauren Davis, who won 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 10 minutes.
Davis was very solid on serve, winning 85% of her first serve points and converting 6 of the 11 break points she had to seal the victory. In the second round, she will face the Kazakh Elena Rybakina, who was able in two sets with the Russian Elina Avanesyan 6-4 and 7-6 (0).
Less trouble had to pass a Jil Teichmann who is still in a state of grace. The Swiss, semi-finalist in Madrid, beat local Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2 after being infallible on serve (80% of points won with first) and also the rest, achieving four break balls. The American is also on a roll Jessica Pegula, brand new finalist in Madrid, who suffered to beat Russian Liudmila Samsonova in three sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Pegula will now face another player in great form, the Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina.
American Madison Brengle also sealed her ticket to the second round.who entered the final draw as a ‘lucky loser’ and who beat the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-3 to meet her compatriot Coco Gauff; and fellow American Amanda Anisimovawhich was remade after a rosco against to prevail over the Czech Tereza Martincova 6-2, 0-6 and 6-4to meet Olympic champion Belinda Bencic in the second round. In the second round there will also be the Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, who defeated the American Sloane Stephens by a convincing 6-1 and 6-2 to meet in the second round with the Greek Maria Sakkari, fourth favorite for the title.