The first racket of Ukraine Elina Svitolina defeated the “neutral” Anna Kalinska in two sets at the WTA 1000 ground tennis tournament in Rome, reports Suspilne. Sport” reports.
This is the tenth time in her career that Elina Svitolina has played in a tournament in Rome. Thanks to her place among the top seeds, the first seed of Ukraine began her performances in Italy with a crushing victory in the second round: she defeated Italian Sara Errani in two sets (6-0, 6-2).
In the third round, the Ukrainian met with a “neutral” tennis player Anna Kalynska. Reportedly, the athletes had never met on the court before the 1/16 finals of the Italian Open. Now, Svitolina has one victory in personal meetings.
Elina Svitolina (Ukraine, 19) – Anna Kalinska (26) 2: 0 (6: 3, 6: 3)
Svitolina closed the first set with a 6-3 victory, in the second set the score was level until the fourth game, but in the fifth game Kalinska managed to win two break points, but eventually Svitolina took the lead and eventually won 6-3.
The match between Svitolina and Kalinska lasted 1:14 hours. During the game, the Ukrainian made one double fault. Svitolina also served a forehand once.
In the next round, Ukraine’s top-ranked player will meet the world’s second-ranked player, the “neutral” Arina Sabayenko.
Elina Svitolina won the championship twice in Rome: in 2017-2018. The last time the Ukrainian played in Rome was in 2023, when she was stopped in the first round by another Ukrainian, Lesia Tsurenko (4:6, 3:6).
Svitolina is the last representative of Ukraine at the WTA 1000 in Rome. Earlier, Diana Yastremska lost to Arina Sabayenko, and Angelina Kalinina was defeated by the eighth-ranked player in the world, Greek Maria Sakkari.
