The
schedule for Wednesday, May 15th of the Rome Open has been revealed, with the
first quarter-final matchups in the ATP draw and the last two semi-finalists
being decided in the WTA draw.
Our preview
looks ahead to some of the top ties and leading storylines ahead of Day Nine at
the Rome Open and which matches to look out for.
Complex Challenges for Sabalenka and Collins
Without
major surprises on the women's side, high-intensity duels are expected at Foro
Italico. The day on Center Court will open with world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka
facing Jelena Ostapenko (No. 10) in a clash between two of the most powerful
players on the Tour, with a current head-to-head record of 2-0 in favor of the
Belarusian.
Sabalenka
hasn't had an easy path but managed to survive until the fourth round after an
epic match against the Ukranian Elina Svitolina (No. 19), which was decided by details
in favor of Sabalenka with a score of 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(7). The world No. 2 seeks
to reach the WTA 1000 semi-finals for the 13th time in her career but will
first have to overcome the former French Open champion.
Since february Collins won two titles and won 26 of 30 matches, including 6 wins over top-20 players.
The second
women's duel will be between No. 15 Danielle Collins and former world No. 1
Victoria Azarenka (No. 24). The American has 18 wins in her last 19 matches and comes
off a dominant performance against Irina Begu with a score of 6-0, 6-3 in just
67 minutes. Collins seems almost invincible, but Vichka also comes in great
form after an easy win over Maria Sakkari (No. 8) with a score of 6-4, 6-1.
Tabilo aims to continue the Streak while Fritz challenges Zverev
On the
men's side, the 29th seed Alejandro Tabilo reached his first Masters 1000
quarter-finals after a great performance against Karen Khachanov (No. 18). The
Chilean silenced the Foro Italico two days ago by surprising world No. 1 Novak
Djokovic, and against Khachanov (No. 18), he again played at a superb level to continue
the winning streak in Rome.
Read also
His opponent will be another surprise: Chinese Zhizhen Zhang
(No. 56). The 27-year-old player eliminated opponents like Adrian Mannarino (No.
21) and Ben Shelton (No. 14), besides defeating Thiago Monteiro (No. 106) in the previous
round and still hasn't dropped a set.
The second men's match and the one to close the day is Fritz
against Zverev. With the absences of Sinner and Alcaraz, in addition to
Djokovic's defeat, both have a great opportunity to do something important in
the Rome Open and appear as strong contenders for the title.
Zverev will play his 8th Masters 1000 quarter-final
The American No. 1 overcame a resilient Grigor Dimitrov (No. 9) by 6-2, 6-7(11), 6-1 and returns to the quarter-finals of a Masters 1000 on
clay, two weeks after his appearance in the Madrid Open semi-finals. On
Zverev's side, he wasn't having a great campaign in the clay swing, although he
seems to have found his tennis again in Rome, a tournament he already won in
2017.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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