Karolina Pliskova breezed into the third round in Rome with a comfortable 6-3 6-3 victory over Alja Tomljanovic.
The Czech, 27, is having a good year. She won a tournament in Brisbane, reached the semi-final at the Australian Open, the quarter-final at Indian Wells and the final in Miami.
However, Pliskova will have to play very well to match those successes this week. She could face Madison Keys in round three and Elina Svitolina or Garbine Muguruza in the last eight.
Understandably, the World No.7 is not looking that far ahead. “It’s always difficult in the first round for me,” Pliskova told wtatennis.com. “I’ve never really won anything here in Rome, so it’s good that I’m through.”
The Czech played very sensibly against Tomljanovic. She served well throughout and created plenty of break point opportunities.
In the first set, Pliskova broke in the fourth game and narrowly failed to break again in the sixth. It did not matter though, as she soon wrapped up the set 6-3.
The Australian then made an awful start to the second set. She struggled to find the court in the opening four games and lost them all.
Although Tomljanovic rallied to win the next three, the damage was done. Pliskova broke her for the fourth time to seal her place in round three.
Bencic produces superb comeback to beat Sevastova
Belinda Bencic was on the brink of a first-round exit in Rome. She was 6-2 and 3-0 down to Anastasija Sevastova and struggling to make an impression on the match.
Then she let her emotion out during the changeover. She vented to her coach (her father Ivan) and had a moan at the umpire about the noisy crowd.
And it worked a treat because it freed Bencic up completely. She started hitting winners and dictating points and her upturn had a remarkable effect because, as she improved, Sevastova faltered badly.
Consequently, the Swiss player won six consecutive games to take the second set and level the match. She then dominated the decider and claimed it 6-2.
“It means a lot, because it shows I’m really fighting on the court and I can turn things around when it’s not working at all for me,” Bencic told wtatennis.com.
The World No.15’s next opponent will be Kristina Mladenovic, after the Frenchwoman recorded an impressive 6-1 6-2 win over compatriot Caroline Garcia.
Cornet knocks out Sabalenka
Elsewhere in Rome, Alize Cornet upset 9th seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-1 6-4. Daria Kasatkina beat Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2 7-6(5). Maria Sakkari defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 7-5.
Ashleigh Barty was also in action. She beat Viktoria Kuzmova 4-6 6-3 6-4. Meanwhile, Julia Goerges overcame Hsieh Su-Wei 6-3 6-4.
