Good news and a misstep for Italian tennis at the Mutua Madrid Open, the fourth Masters 1000 of the season on the red clay of Caja Magica. Flavio Cobolli and Luciano Darderi gain access to the round of 16, while Jasmine Paolini exits the scene in the third round in the women’s draw.
Cobolli and Darderi ahead
Winning debut for Cobolli, who after the initial bye beat the Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli with a score of 6-7(7), 6-1, 6-4. The Roman, number 13 in the ranking and tenth seeded, will now challenge the Paraguayan qualifier Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, capable of eliminating the American Learner Tien.
Darderi also returns to success, who after recent lackluster outings finds rhythm and continuity by beating Juan Manuel Cerundolo with a clear 6-1, 6-3. The blue player thus enters the round of 16, where he will face Francisco Cerundolo, seeded number 16.
Paolini stops
However, Paolini’s journey is interrupted. The Tuscan, number 9 in the ranking, lost to the American Hailey Baptiste with a score of 7-5, 6-3 after overcoming Laura Siegemund in the second round. Baptiste will now challenge Belinda Bencic, victorious over the Russian Diana Shnaider, for a place in the quarterfinals.