THE second day of Internazionali BNL d’Italia Round of 64 action saw just the one seed lose to a lower ranked opposition in what was a fairly predictable end to the first round. 

Of the four seeds on court, it was former world number one Angelique Kerber who went down to Czech talent Katerina Sinakova in straight sets in the quickest battle of the day, just one hour and nine minutes. While all the stats looked to be favouring Kerber, the Czech 24-year-old was much more effective winning points off Kerber’s service games and stepped up in the second set when Kerber could no longer maintain her 72 per cent win rate off her first serve, dropping down to just 33 per cent in the second. Siniakova ran away with a 6-3 6-1 victory and her first WTA main draw win since February. 

American Sloane Stephens drew Australian Open runner-up Garbine Muguruza on the first go, with a huge battle ensuing and the Spaniard getting the chocolates in a 6-3 6-3 finish. Despite an hour long rain delay between the two sets, Muguruza held strong and saved all but one of her eight break points, powering through with her ability to win consistently off her own serve.

“It was a very tough first round,” Muguruza said post-match. “I think I played well and I had the right game plan today against her. “You never know how it’s going to go because it’s been a while since I’ve played, and it’s my first match on clay, and the conditions were difficult. “Despite all of that, I still managed to play at a high level and stay solid throughout the match.”

Muguruza will take on another American in the second round, after youngster Coco Gauff defeated Ons Jabeur 6-4 6-3. Just her first main draw clash on clay, Gauff came back from a 4-2 start the way of the Tunisian, winning off Jabeur’s unforced error count. Gauff’s seven double faults did not do her any favours though, meaning she will have to clean up her act in the second round. 

Hometown hope Elisabetta Cocciaretto was among the players who went down in straight sets, as was in-form Frenchwoman Carolina Garcia and youngster Iga Swiatek. Cocciaretto went down to Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2 6-2, while Garcia had an impressive comeback against Anett Kontaveit to go to a second set tiebreaker, but it was not enough going down 6-3 7-6. Swiatek could not compete with the experience of Netherlands’ Arantxa Rus despite a fantastic first set, downed 7-6 6-3. 

In other games, 12th seed Marketa Vondrousova heads through to the next round despite a second set challenge from Japan’s Misaki Doi, while Polona Hercog and Svetlana Kuznetsova also reigned supreme in three setters, all taking well over two hours to dispose of their opposition. Daria Kasatkina and Yulia Putintseva also continue into the second round to finish off the day’s proceedings.