The sun made an appearance in Rome yesterday, as day 2 of the Italian Open saw eight Italian players advance to the next round.
Two Italian women progressed to the second round on day 2 of the Italian Open.
Veteran Sara Errani took three sets to despatch 22-year-old Amanda Animisova of the USA. Errani, who received a Wild Card, won her first match in Rome since 2015 with yesterday’s win. With a heavily strapped right elbow, Errani took control in the second and third sets, with drop shots leaving her opponent stranded on the base line. Errani, who was a finalist in 2014, came out the winner in 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto rallied from her suspended match on day one, to beat Mexican Zarazua in three sets 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. It was a hard fought match, last 2hours and forty minutes, but she’s into the second round.
Today’s order of play sees Cocciaretto back in action, this time against the no.22 seed, France’s Garcia. The 11th seed, Italian Paolini plays her first match after a bye in the first round, facing Sherif of Egypt.
Errani will have a tough match as she goes head-to-head with Svitolina, the no. 16 seed.
Good day for the Italian men
Six Italians made it though the men’s matches on day 2 of the Italian Open with three falling by the wayside.
Matteo Arnaldi triumphed over lucky loser Mayot of France in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Fabio Fognini, who was given a wild card for the tournament, overturned Brit Dan Evans in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. The opponents were fairly evenly matched in service stats, but it was the return statistics that gave Fognini the edge with a 44% of 1st serve return points won, and a 50% conversion rate of break points compared to Evans’ 27% and 33% respectively.
The Italian head-t-head of Gigante and Zeppieri, saw the former come out the winner in two sets, 7-6, 6-4.
Wild Card Napolitano, saw off lucky loser Wolf, of the USA, in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6. The qualifier Passaro had a tougher time, but still chalked up a win in three sets over France’s Rinderkench, 6-7, 7-5, 7-6.
Nardi came home in straight sets with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Germany’s Altmaier.
Today’s order of play for the men’s singles is looking difficult with all bar one of the men facing seeds. The remaining Italian is a seed himself. The matches are:
Musetti (26) v Altmare (Q)
Darderi v Navone (28)
Cobolli v Korda (24)
Fognini v Fritz (11)
Gigante v Cerundolo (20)
Passaro v Griekspoor (23)
