Aryna Sabalenka battles past Sofia Kenin and into Rome last 16

ROME – Aryna Sabalenka admitted that she did not find it easy as she reached the last 16 of the Italian Open on May 11, after battling back from a set down to beat Sofia Kenin 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The world No. 1 came through a tough match with 2020 Australian Open winner Kenin to set up a clash with Marta Kostyuk, who beat Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2.

“I was going really tough on myself,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview.

“It was a tough match – she played incredible tennis in the first set. It was a great fight and super happy to get this match.”

The Belarusian has a great opportunity to claim her first Rome title, and third 1000 series crown of the season, after three-time winner Iga Swiatek was dumped out by Danielle Collins on May 10.

Sabalenka has reached the final of her last four tournaments, winning in both Miami and Madrid, and is now hot favourite at the Foro Italico even after her latest below-par display.

The 2024 losing finalist was not at the races in the first set, consistently misplacing her backhands before appearing to complain about the surface on centre court.

And she continued to lament her game even as she slowly turned the match around, breaking Kenin at the seventh time of asking in the second game of the third set before immediately being broken back to love.

But in the end Sabalenka had too much for her American opponent, showing her fighting spirit even while battling against her own performance.

Meanwhile, American Coco Gauff and Briton Emma Raducanu will meet each other next in the round of 16, in a match between ex-US Open champions.

Fourth seed Gauff came through a tight first set and nervy finish against Poland’s Magda