Rome, Italy) – While Poland’s Iga Swiatek kicked off the WTA 1000 in Rome with a quiet win, the same didn’t happen with other top favourites. After the elimination of the seeds respectively 2nd and 3rd, the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and the American Jessica Pegula, on Thursday, it was the turn of the Tunisian Ons Jabeur to say goodbye to the first.

This Friday, the fourth pre-classified in the tournament was overtaken by the Spaniard Paula Badosa, who scored a final score of 6/1 and 6/4. After eliminating Jabeur, the current 35th in the world will face the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who affirms her condition of 32nd pre-ranked and overthrew the North American Claire Liu by 2 sets to 0, with partials of 6/0 and 6 /4.

Another favorite who didn’t make it past the opener was Italy’s Martina Trevisan, who was in the same quadrant as Jabeur. The 18th seed even started ahead of Czech Karolina Muchova, but ended up rounding the corner and falling with splits of 3/6, 6/3 and 7/5. The executioner of the house tennis player will face the winner of the duel between the Italian Camila Giorgi and the Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Moving away from surprises, Greece’s Maria Sakkari overcame the good test she had on her debut against the experienced Czech Barbora Strycova, giving up only four games to her rival before closing the match with the final score of 6/1 and 6/3. Ninth pre-classified, she awaits those who will pass the duel between the Canadian Bianca Andreescu and the Czech Marketa Vondrousova.

Another early elimination was 26-seeded Jil Teichmann of Switzerland, who battled for three sets with Austria’s Julia Grabher and waved goodbye to defeat with partials of 7/6 (7-4) , 5/7 and 6/3. In the third round, Grabher will be able to face the Russian Daria Kasatkina, eighth pre-classified, or the guest of the house Lisa Pigato.