Day two at the Italian Open delivered drama and dominant displays in equal measure. The Foro Italico's clay courts provided a stage for comebacks, upsets, and ruthless performances.
On the WTA side, Maria Sakkari narrowly avoided disaster. Trailing by a set and a break to 18-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger, the Greek dug deep to complete the turnaround: 5-7, 6-3, 6-0. A dominant third set, winning six consecutive games, rescued what had looked like a certain exit. Sakkari will face Elena Rybakina in the second round, a considerably tougher test.
Leolia Jeanjean continued her fine qualifying form. The Frenchwoman, ranked 127th, defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia 7-6(6), 6-4 in nearly two hours. Haddad Maia, mired in a six-match losing streak, could not find answers to Jeanjean's consistency. The Frenchwoman will next face defending champion .
gave Lucrezia Stefanini no chance: 6-0, 6-1 in barely an hour. The Latvian, always unpredictable, showed her very best with aggressive, clinical tennis.
Other notable WTA results: Eva Lys ousted in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, Rebeka Masarova won a marathon against Selekhmeteva 7-5, 5-7, 6-1, and Catherine McNally upset Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-3. Valentova also surprised by eliminating Putintseva 6-3, 6-2.
On the ATP side, the headline result was Hurkacz's elimination by in three sets. flew the Italian flag proudly, defeating Munar 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Jan-Lennard Struff dispatched Comesana 6-2, 6-4, while Alejandro Tabilo dominated Carreño Busta 6-2, 6-1. Botic van de Zandschulp also advanced past Müller 7-5, 6-3.
Thursday's schedule promises fireworks with seeded players entering the fray. , returning after six weeks away, and , chasing a record-extending sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title, will headline at the Foro Italico.
