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Pegula Dominates Italian Open Opener
10 May
Summary
- Jessica Pegula secured a swift victory over Zeynep Sonmez in Rome.
- Madison Keys expressed a newfound preference for clay courts.
- Several high-seeded players faced unexpected defeats.
Jessica Pegula, the fifth seed, commenced her Italian Open campaign with a commanding performance on Friday, defeating Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez 6-4, 6-0. After a slightly tougher first set, Pegula found her rhythm, expressing satisfaction with her play.
American Madison Keys, seeded 17th, advanced by rallying past fellow American Peyton Stearns with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory. Keys, 31, humorously noted her growing fondness for clay courts, suggesting it might be an age-related shift.
The day was marked by several surprising upsets, including the defeats of No. 11 Karolina Muchova, No. 14 Ekaterina Alexandrova, and No. 28 Emma Navarro. Other notable winners included No. 4 Iga Swiatek, No. 15 Naomi Osaka, and No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.
