Sabalenka reaches Rome Open last 16 after Kenin win

Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1 and last year's finalist, has advanced to the last 16 of the Italian Open after a hard-fought 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Sofia Kenin, setting up a match against Marta Kostyuk. Sabalenka, who has won the Miami and Madrid 1000 series titles this season, is considered a favorite for her first Rome crown following the early exit of three-time champion Iga Swiatek. Despite an uneven performance and struggles with the court surface, Sabalenka showed resilience to secure her eighth consecutive win and continue her pursuit of a seventh final this season, a feat achieved by only a few women in the Open Era. Other notable results in the tournament include Carlos Alcaraz advancing in the men's draw, with potential matches against Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, as well as Arthur Fils defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev progressing comfortably. The women's tournament is witnessing intense competition, with top seeds falling and rising players like Kostyuk and Kenin pushing through challenging matches. Sabalenka's next-round match against Kostyuk will be a rematch from Madrid, where Sabalenka prevailed in a tight contest.