Tennis: China's Wang/Zheng suffer narrow defeat in first round of Italian Open

Rome, May 10 China's Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai lost to Chan Hao-ching of Chinese Taipei and Giuliana Olmos of Mexico in three sets in the first round of the women's doubles at the WTA Italian Open on Saturday.

It was the first meeting between the two pairs. In the opening set, Wang and Zheng started out trailing 4-1. They rallied to level the score at 4-4, only for Chan and Olmos to hold serve in the ninth game and edge ahead 5-4.

In the crucial 10th game, Wang fired an ace and, together with Zheng, saved two break points. However, they couldn't hold off their opponents and dropped the set 6-4, reports Xinhua.

Wang and Zheng responded strongly in the second set. They earned an early break in the opening game and then consolidated with a solid service hold to go up 2-0. Although their opponents managed to get on the board in the third game, Wang and Zheng took control from there, dominating the rest of the set to take it 6-1.

In the deciding match tiebreak, Wang and Zheng carried their momentum forward, racing to a 3-0 start and later extending their lead to 7-3. But Chan and Olmos mounted a comeback, reeling off seven straight points to seal the win, 10-7.

Earlier in the day, in a stunning third-round upset at the 2025 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Danielle Collins dispatched defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 7-5 on Rome’s Campo Centrale. The American's aggressive play dismantled Swiatek's rhythm, marking her second win over the World No. 1 in nine meetings.

Swiatek, who had dominated Rome with a 21-1 record in her previous 22 matches, appeared uncharacteristically subdued. Collins capitalised, delivering 32 winners to Swiatek's 15 and converting six of eight break points. In contrast, Swiatek managed only two breaks from ten opportunities and committed 22 unforced errors as per WTA.

Collins' victory not only ended Swiatek's impressive run in Rome but also highlighted the American's resurgence in her final professional season. Having announced her intention to retire at year's end, Collins has been in formidable form, securing back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston and reaching the Rome semifinals. Her performance against Swiatek underscores her determination to conclude her career on a high note.

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