Jessica Pegula, seeded fifth, experienced little trouble in her opening match at the Italian Open on Friday, securing a commanding 6-4, 6-0 victory over Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez in Rome.
After a disappointing early exit in Madrid, the American was sharp throughout, facing only one break point while converting four of seven opportunities on her opponent’s serve.
“It was really good. The first set was pretty tough … then I started to play a little bit more free,” Pegula told the Tennis Channel. “I’m happy with my performance today.”
She won 72.9% of her service points and 50% of return points, finishing with three aces and no double faults on the clay surface.
“I was a little nervous and I was on edge coming into today. She already had a match under her belt. I felt better getting through.”
Next up for Pegula is Switzerland’s Rebekah Masarova, who defeated 25th-seeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Masarova overcame a break deficit twice in the second set and secured the only break of the decisive third set, despite hitting 10 double faults and landing only 58% of her first serves. When she did land them, she dominated, winning 82.7% (43 of 52) of her first-service points.
Meanwhile, 10th-seeded Canadian Victoria Mboko withdrew due to gastrointestinal issues shortly before her match against Italy’s Tyra Caterina Grant. Czech lucky loser Nikola Bartunkova stepped in and defeated Grant 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the Round of 32.
She will next face 17th-seeded Madison Keys, who rallied past Peyton Stearns 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in an all-American battle. Keys saved nine of 13 break points she faced, including the only one in the third set, which she won in just 33 minutes.
“I think I like clay more than grass now,” the 31-year-old Keys told the Tennis Channel. “That’s insane, but I think I do. Maybe it’s my older age catching up to me and wanting the court to be a little slower.”
In the final match of the day, second-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 in 75 minutes.
However, several seeded players struggled or fell early. No. 11 Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic lost to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova (6-3, 6-2), who carried momentum from her Madrid semifinal run. No. 14 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia fell in a marathon match, losing 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1 to Germany’s Laura Siegemund in two hours and 48 minutes.
No. 28 Emma Navarro lost 6-3, 6-3 to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto. No. 33 Romanian Jaqueline Cristian was defeated 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2), 6-4 by Czech Karolina Pliskova in a match lasting over three hours, and No. 31 Xinyu Wang fell 6-4, 6-3 to Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.
No. 4 Iga Swiatek of Poland outlasted Caty McNally 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3, and No. 15 Naomi Osaka of Japan survived a tough second-round match against Germany’s Eva Lys, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
No. 7 Elina Svitolina of Kazakhstan had an easier path, defeating Italy’s Noemi Basiletti 6-1, 6-3 in 75 minutes.
Nos. 19 Diana Shnaider and 20 Liudmila Samsonova of Russia, as well as No. 32 Hailey Baptiste, also won their opening matches on Friday. Shnaider rallied for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 win over Australia’s Talia Gibson, Samsonova swept Ann Li 6-4, 6-3, and Baptiste escaped with a 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4 victory over Switzerland’s Simona Waltert.
