American Danielle Collins accomplished a complete straight-set victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek within the third spherical of the Italian Open.
Collins capitalised on a poor serving show from world quantity two Swiatek to cruise to the opening set earlier than battling again from a break down within the second to clinch a 6-1 7-5 victory.
It was simply her second win in 9 matches in opposition to the five-time Grand Slam champion and first on clay – the 23-year-old Pole’s most well-liked floor.
Collins, 31, will face Ukrainian Elina Svitolina within the fourth spherical, whereas Swiatek should now regroup earlier than the French Open, which begins on 25 Might.
The five-time Grand Slam champion had gained the Italian Open in three of the previous 4 seasons however struggled for her finest type within the run-up to this 12 months’s occasion in Rome.
Swiatek has not gained a WTA match since claiming her fourth French Open ladies’s singles title in 5 years at Roland Garros 12 months in the past.
She began poorly, serving double faults when dealing with break level in her first two service video games, and misplaced her third to like as twenty ninth seed Collins raced right into a 5-0 lead.
Swiatek lastly acquired on the board within the sixth sport, however was promptly damaged for a fourth time to lose the opening set in simply 24 minutes.
She broke Collins within the opening sport of the second set, however was once more unable to cement the break.
Collins battled laborious to maintain on stage phrases for the rest of the second set earlier than pouncing within the twelfth sport, claiming a sixth break of serve within the match to seal victory along with her second match level as Swiatek flashed a backhand huge.
Collins’ subsequent opponent, sixteenth seed Svitolina, got here via a three-set battle with 23-year-old American Hailey Baptiste, beating the world quantity 90 6-4 3-6 6-4.
Elsewhere, Italian primary Jasmine Paolini – the sixth seed – acquired previous an out-of-sorts Ons Jabeur 6-4 6-3 to seal a spot within the final 16, the place she’s going to meet seventeenth seed Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia.
Australian Open champion Madison Keys is out because the fifth seed was downed by fellow American Peyton Stearns in three units. Stearns will play both Marie Bouzkova or Naomi Osaka subsequent.
Russian Diana Shnaider beat Jaqueline Cristian and awaits the winner of Saturday’s final match due on centre courtroom between Belgium’s Elise Mertens and American third seed Jessica Pegula.
