Italian Open: Bianca Andreescu continues resurgent run as she gains last eight

WTA Tour
Bianca Andreescu plays a shot

Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu has booked her first WTA Tour quarter-final in 14 months after she beat qualifier Petra Matric 6-4, 6-4 in the third round of the Italian Open.

Martic had to go through qualifying but was a semi-finalist at the Foro Italico in 2021 while Andreescu is making her tournament debut.

Andreescu’s last appearance in a WTA quarter-final at Strasbourg last year was also her only previous run to the last eight on clay.

Andreescu was more accurate on her serve and ultimately that proved to be the difference between two players with plenty of power.

The Canadian enjoyed a 72% first serve rate and saved six of the seven break points she faced while converting three out of four on Martic’s serve.

In a tense opening to the first set the ninth game proved a turning point, with Andreescu able to counterattack as Martic lost her range.

A string of double faults would then hand Andreescu the initiative early in the second.

However, Martic wasn’t quite done and a veritable highlight reel of shots saw her break back and even stood on the brink of snatching a 4-2 lead in the second stanza.

Martic could not convert those break points, though and continued to be afflicted by double faults, running up a tally of six in the second set.

Her fifth double fault handed the break back to Andreescu, who then successfully served out the win; putting away a volley on her third match point.

Earlier, Madrid Open finalist Jessica Pegula saw her run in Rome ended by nemesis Aryna Sabalanka.

Sabalenka secured her third successive win over No 13 seed Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-4.

A dominant power display from Sabalenka ensured that she booked her first Italian Open quarter-final.

Swiss World No 29 Jil Teichmann continues an excellent run of form that has already seen her reach a career-high ranking.

Teichmann outlasted Elena Rybakina 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-5 in 3 hours and 2 minutes.

The Madrid Open semi-finalist has now claimed 13 career Top 20 wins and defeated Rybakina in successive tournaments at the exact same stage.

Bianca Andreescu

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