Paolini launches Italian Open title defence with gritty win as Altmaier sets up Zverev clash

Rome: Jasmine Paolini launched her Italian Open title defence on Thursday by battling back from a set down to beat France’s Leolia Jeanjean 6(4)-7, 6-2, 6-4.

Paolini is bidding to become the first Italian woman to retain the title in Rome but was slow out of the blocks at the Foro Italico.

The world number eight turned on the afterburners after going behind following an error-strewn first set, comfortably turning around the match to secure a spot in the third round, where she will meet Elise Mertens.

Paolini’s compatriot Matteo Berrettini fell at the first hurdle, 6-2, 6-3 to Alexei Popyrin, a defeat which will see the former Wimbledon finalist drop out of the top 100 in the men’s rankings.

Daniel Altmaier saved two match points to overcome Zhang Zhizhen 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 in the Italian Open first round.

The 27-year-old’s now set up a second-round meeting with two-time Rome champion Alexander Zverev, who leads their ATP Head2Head series 3-1.

World No. 4 Coco Gauff made a confident return to action at the Italian Open, defeating Czech teenager Tereza Valentova 6-3, 6-4 in the second round. The third-seeded American, who arrived in Rome after struggling with illness during the Madrid Open, showed resilience and composure on the clay courts despite an inconsistent serving performance.

Gauff needed one hour and 34 minutes to seal victory and book her place in the round of 16 of the prestigious WTA 1000 event.

Elsewhere, Yannick Hanfmann and Jan-Lennard Struff also advanced. Hanfmann downed former Top-10 star Hubert Hurkacz 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 6-2 to set a second-round clash with 18th seed Luciano Darderi. Struff defeated Francisco Comesana 6-2, 6-4 and will next take on 11th seed Jiri Lehecka, ATP reports.

Home favourite Matteo Arnaldi maintained his run of good form by pulling through a difficult opening test against Jaume Munar.

Arnaldi, who lifted the trophy at the ATP Challenger 175 event in Cagliari last week, earned a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory for his first tour-level match win in six attempts this year. The Italian will play sixth seed Alex de Minaur for a third-round spot.

Sebastian Baez and Nuno Borges were among the other first-round winners on Day 1 at the Foro Italico.

Baez needed seven match points but finally completed a 6-3, 7-6(8) victory against Jenson Brooksby and will next play ninth seed Alexander Bublik. Meanwhile Portuguese star Borges raced past qualifier Jesper de Jong 6-3, 6-0 and will be the second-round opponent for fast-rising Rafael Jodar.

In the women’s singles, Alexandra Eala, the only player from the Philippines to appear in the Italian Open in the Open Era, rallied from a break down in the final set to beat Poland’s Magdalena Frech and advance to the second round in Rome with a 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 win in 2 hours, 21 minutes.

The victory was Eala’s 15th main-draw win on the WTA Tour this season, the most by a left-handed player, and marked her fifth consecutive opening-match win at WTA 1000 events.

She will next meet 31st seed Wang Xinyu, who won their only previous encounter - a three-set victory in the Auckland semifinals in January. Agencies

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