Top-ranked Naomi Osaka wasted no time in getting past Dominika Cibulkova in her second round match at the Italian Open while Kiki Bertens edged out Amanda Anisimova on Thursday.
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Osaka smashed 44 winners in her 6-3, 6-3 win over her Slovakian opponent to make it to the third round where she will play the winner of the match between Mihaela Buzarnescu and Julia Goerges.
Apart from her 44 winners, the Japanese world number one also hit 12 aces to win her fourth successive match against Cibulkova, having never dropped a set against her.
Osaka was broken in the third game of the first set by Cibulkova but that was the only time that happened in the match as she broke back to level it in the fourth. There were break points in the next two service games from Osaka before breaking her opponent in the eight game to serve for the set.
Faced with four break-points in the second set as well, Osaka saved them easily and, in the meantime, broke Cibulkova as well.
Bertens had gone into the Italian Open with a title win in Madrid last week and the extra day of rest yesterday might have helped her chances as she came away winner in the final set, winning 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.
In another second round match, French player Kristina Mladenovic registered her biggest upset on clay as she overcame Belinda Bencic, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 to march into the third round. She will now take on Ash Barty in the third round later today.
The opening set belongs to @GarbiMuguruza!
She seals it 6-4 at the @InteBNLdItalia! pic.twitter.com/sZt6rMcvyR
— WTA (@WTA) May 16, 2019
Also making it through the third round is Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, who defeated Danielle Collins in three sets. She won 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to advance to the third round where a mouth-watering clash with Victoria Azarenka awaits her.
Great Britain’s Johanna Konta came away a winner in three sets as well, stunning Stephens 6-7, 6-4, 6-1 to make the third round.
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