Italian Open: Top three all into semi-finals as Sabalenka makes last four

Aryna Sabalenka won against Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday and will face the winner of the match between Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, the No 24 seed, and American Danielle Collins, the No 13 seed, in the next round

Aryna Sabalenka against Jelena Ostapenko in Rome (Imago/Panoramic)

Tennis Majors

May 15, 2024

Internazionali BNL d'Italia •Quarter-final • completed

See draw

J. OstapenkovsA. Sabalenka

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, reached the semi-finals of the Italian Open by winning against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, the No 9 seed, 6-2, 6-4 at the Foro Italico in Rome on Wednesday afternoon.

It marks the first time that the top three ranked women in the world have reached the semi-finals of a WTA 250 event or higher since Roland-Garros in 2013.

It is the second WTA 1000 semi-final featuring the three best-ranked women in the world, following Doha in 2013. And it is also the first time that the top two women in the world have reached the semi-finals at back-to-back WTA 1000 events since Miami and Madrid in 2013.

3 – With Aryna Sabalenka joining Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, it is the first time the WTA’s top three players have reached the semi-final at the same WTA event since Roland Garros in 2013 – excluding the WTA Tour Finals. Echelon.#IBI24 | @InteBNLdItalia @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/6VZfvtKC45
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) May 15, 2024

Sabalenka able to play pain-free after back issues

Sabalenka had needed treatment on her back during her epic win over Elina Svitolina in the previous round but after a short training session, she was happy to play.

“I was testing my body on the warmup and I felt: “OK, I’m probably going to go on the court and play”, she told reporters, quoted by the WTA website. “And I’m super happy I was able to play without pain today. Hopefully, with every day I will feel better and better. I would definitely say that was the best performance of the tournament.”

Sabalenka, ranked No 2, coped well with a testing wind in Rome as she set up a clash with the winner of the match between Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, the No 24 seed, and American Danielle Collins, the No 13 seed, next.

The Belarusian defeated American qualifier Katie Volynets (4-6, 6-3, 6-2), Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, the No 32 seed (6-4, 6-2) and Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, the No 16 seed (4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7)) earlier in the tournament.

In the previous rounds of the Rome tournament, Ostapenko, ranked No 10, won against Russian Anastasia Potapova (6-4, 6-2), Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo (6-4, 5-7, 6-1) and Slovak qualifier Rebecca Sramkova (4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3)).