ARTICLE AD BOX
Iga Swiatek bounced back from one of the worst losses of her career with a comfortable 6-1, 6-0 rout of home player Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the second round of the Italian Open.
Swiatek said she was dealing with "personal stuff" when she was beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Coco Gauff in the Madrid Open semifinals last week.
The second-ranked Swiatek is a three-time Rome champion but has not reached a final on tour this year. She improved to 21-2 in Rome since 2021.
The Italian Open is the last big clay-court warmup before the French Open, which starts on May 25. Swiatek has won four of her five Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros.
Swiatek next faces Danielle Collins or Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who were playing later at the Foro Italico.
Elsewhere, Naomi Osaka and Ons Jabeur advanced to the third round in Rome after ninth seed Paula Badosa and twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova withdrew due to injury.
Japan's Osaka beat Swiss lucky loser Viktorija Golubic 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 and 27-year-old Badosa cast more doubts over her fitness ahead of the French Open as the Spanish former world number two pulled out of another tournament due to a recurring back injury.
Kvitova was forced to withdraw due to a leg problem, so three-time Grand Slam finalist Jabeur advanced via walkover and will next face sixth seed Italian Jasmine Paolini or qualifier Lulu Sun.
Czech Kvitova, 35, secured her first victory since returning from maternity leave by defeating Irina-Camelia Begu in the first round.
Additional reporting from AP and Reuters.
English (US) ·