Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy - WTA 1000

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the 2nd ladies QF match which has turned out to be a 'slug fest' due to these slow conditions

Haddad Maia won the 1s set 76(2)
6 games all 2nd set, just started the 2nd set TB
Kalinina wins the 2nd set TB 76(6) going 3 sets

Match suspended due to rain UGH short and sweet delay, players back on court now

In the longest match so far in this tournament for the women 3hrs 50min
Kalinina d Haddad Maia 67(2) 76(6) 63....she breathes a huge sigh of relief!!
Both ladies had tears in their eyes, one for winning, the other for not been able to get the win, it was a hard slog of a match, both players giving it their all , under slow conditions

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Anhelina Kalinia and Veronika Kudermetova are the first 2 players into the SF on Friday
This will be their first match on clay.

 

[tented]

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Top half of the draw ladies QFs

Paula Badosa vs Jelena Ostapenko (20) H2h Badosa 2-1 most recent was in Sydney 2022 HC Badosa won in SS

Iga Swaitek (1) vs Elena Rybakina (7) H2H Rybakina 2-1 first meeting on clay, previous matches have all been on HC

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I hope Rybakina wins the match and the tournament, so there'll be no possibility of them playing before the semis of the French Open.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ostapenko is just doing what she has done all tournament so far, seeing those lines and putting the ball where ever she pleases
leads Badosa 4-1 1st set
We all have a good laugh at times with the disgusting outfits Ostapenko wears on court, though I must say this pink outfit fits her well, she loves pleats dosent she lol!
Ostapenko 6-2 1st set....Badosa must be hoping and praying that Osta will be missing lines in the 2nd set, not much she could about it in the 1st set at all, she was just a pedestrian

 

[the AntiPusher]

Ostapenko is just doing what she has done all tournament so far, seeing those lines and putting the ball where ever she pleases
leads Badosa 4-1 1st set
We all have a good laugh at times with the disgusting outfits Ostapenko wears on court, though I must say this pink outfit fits her well, she loves pleats dosent she lol!
Ostapenko 6-2 1st set....Badosa must be hoping and praying that Osta will be missing lines in the 2nd set, not much she could about it in the 1st set at all, she was just a pedestrian

It's still a way to go Paula may turn this around

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

It's still a way to go Paula may turn this around

Agree, Paula is leading 4-1 2nd set, though she just got broken back, back on serve in the 2nd set, 4 games all,

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Badosa broke Ostapenko serve to win the 2nd set 64, she was leading 4-1, got broken back, but kept fighting, mentally better in the 2nd set as well.
Onto a 3rd set we go

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ostapenko d Badosa 62 46 63
1st clay court SF in Rome
!st clay court SF since winning RG in 2017
When Jelena gets everything right, she's immaculate in every way.Fate of each match Jelena plays is entirely up to her.A rare ball striker and a even rarer personality on court

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Finally the last womens QF between Swiatek v Rybakina has just started, their first meeting on clay

 

[tossip]

Swiatek looks big mad ,and it must be the scheduling that has her angry under that cap.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Swiatek looks big mad ,and it must be the scheduling that has her angry under that cap.

She always looks like that lol! I dont know why she wears that cap at night with no sun lol!

 

[tossip]

She always looks like that lol! I dont know why she wears that cap at night with no sun lol!

How does anyone market her,and that's why her portfolio is very thin.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

How does anyone market her,and that's why her portfolio is very thin.

Being such a good player with great results the last couple of years, she is a hard one to market, maybe her personality, could be a factor she is not that marketable, agree hard one to market.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

What I love watching Iga is her footwork it is sublime, she just gets in the right position on court, time and time again, a must if you are going to be a good player on clay,

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Iga wins the 1st set 62...hopefully this match will finish before Midnight
There are fans with plastic wrapped around their bodies, cold and heavy conditions to watch tennis,

 

[tossip]

Well Rybakina is allowing herself to be rushed..

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well Rybakina is allowing herself to be rushed..

Well for starters she has to play to the server, when she is on the return, remember this is her first QF on clay, the conditions are slow and heavy, players that are not used to playing on clay, have to adjust their games to suit these conditions

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well a good return game from Elena and she breaks Iga back on serve in the 2nd set 4 games all