Google News Italian Open: Camila Osorio stuns Caroline Garcia; marks maiden WTA 1000 pre-quarters
by ABBEY JOHNSON
Camila Osorio began Saturday at the Italian Open with an upset over fifth seed Caroline Garcia. The Colombian won their third-round clash 6-4, 6-4 after an hour and 43 minutes. Garcia was left impaired with both the court conditions and her opponent, who used the rain-affected court conditions to her advantage.
Osorio won 70% of her first-serve points to Garcia’s 69% and 46% points on her second serve. She also won 68% points on return on the Frenchwoman’s second serve. Throughout the match, Osorio lost her serve only once while converting three of six break points she generated.
This is the first time the 21-year-old’s made it to the fourth round of a WTA 1000 tournament. For a chance to better her career statistics and make a debut in the quarter-finals of such a big event, Osorio will play 12th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Italian Open: Latin American face-offs, Chinese rivalries in Roma
The Brazilian took two hours and nine minutes to complete a 7-5, 6-4 win over 17th seed and 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist, Magda Linette. Haddad Maia won 63% of her first-serve points and 75% of her second-serve points.
On the other hand, Linette relatively struggled and was able to win only 53% of her first-serve points and 60% of her second-serve points. The world no. 10 converted four of six break points on the Pole’s serve while saving three of five break points she faced.
There was another WTA 1000 fourth-round debutant in Xiyu Wang. The Chinese, who recently brought in Nigel Sears as her coach, ousted Taylor Townsend in their third-round match-up. The American saved for the match in the 10th game of the third set and even had a match point before the match turned Wang’s way.
Finally, after two hours and 12 minutes, Wang prevailed 6-2, 0-6, 7-5 to make it this far in an event of this stature in a career first. Wang will play Qinwen Zheng in a Chinese derby next. The 22nd seed won her round-of-32 clash against Anna Bondar, 7-6(2), 6-4.
Veronika Kudermetova and Anhelina Kalinina also won their respective third-round matches at the Italian Open. The 11th-seeded Kudermetova defeated 23rd seed Anastasia Potapova, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1. The 30th-seeded Kalinina got through against Sofia Kenin, 6-4, 6-2. Photo Credit: The Tennis Letter Twitter