Two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek leads Italian Open draw; Sabalenka, Pegula, Gauff included

Rome [Italy], May 8 : A 96-player Italian Open main draw has been released with 18 of the world's top 20 players vying for the title.

The clay-court events continue on the WTA Tour with next week's Italian Open in Rome.

Main-draw action in the Italian capital will kick off on Tuesday. The singles and doubles finals will take place on May 20.

The current two-time champion and World No 1 Iga Swiatek is positioned first in the draw. Swiatek defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-0 to win the Rome championship for the first time in 2021. Swiatek defeated Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-2 to win her second consecutive championship the previous year.

Swiatek is certain to play either 2014 Rome finalist Sara Err or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round. Swiatek could meet reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals if the seedings hold.

Ons Jabeur, who was a runner-up last year is seeded No. 4, leads the second quarter as she prepares to compete in her first WTA 1000 event on clay this year. Due to a calf injury, Jabeur withdrew from last week's Mutua Madrid Open, where she was the defending champion.

There could be a quarterfinal matchup between the top two Americans (and doubles partners) in this quarter if No.3 seed Jessica Pegula and No.6 seed Coco Gauff each hold their seeds and reach the elite eight.

Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, enters the bottom quarter with energy after winning her second Madrid championship in the last three years on Saturday. ....For the first time in four attempts, Sabalenka defeated Swiatek on clay to win the WTA 1000 championship in Spain.

No.5 seed Caroline Garcia sits at the other end of this quarter, and she might face Madrid quarterfinalist Petra Martic in the third round and No.12 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the Round of 16.

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