The draw for the Internazionali BNL d`Italia in Rome sets up a potential rematch between Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals, just two weeks after their clash in Madrid.
Gauff (21) and Andreeva (18), the two youngest players currently ranked in the Top 10, have both been placed in the second quarter of the Rome draw. As the No. 4 and No. 7 seeds respectively, they are projected to meet in the last eight. In their recent Madrid encounter, Gauff won 7-5, 6-1 after saving two set points, extending her perfect record against Andreeva to 3-0.
Elsewhere in the draw, Madrid champion Aryna Sabalenka faces a challenging path as she aims to continue her strong run on clay. The top-seeded player is set to begin her campaign against either Dayana Yastremska or Anastasia Potapova. Her section of the draw also includes potentially difficult opponents such as Sofia Kenin, Leylah Fernandez, and Daria Kasatkina, before a projected quarterfinal meeting against either No. 8 seed Zheng Qinwen or No. 11 seed Elena Rybakina.
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek will be looking to regain momentum after recent losses in Stuttgart (to Jelena Ostapenko, her sixth in six meetings with the Latvian) and a decisive 6-1, 6-1 defeat by Gauff in Madrid. Swiatek, a three-time champion in Rome, has historically performed exceptionally well at this event and will hope to rediscover that magic. She is scheduled to begin her title defense against Elina Avanesyan or local favorite Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
The 32 seeded players all receive a bye into the second round and will not compete until Thursday. However, several notable players are scheduled to play in the first round. Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka, fresh from winning a clay-court title at the Saint-Malo WTA 125 event, is set to play against beloved Italian veteran Sara Errani. Petra Kvitova will make her return from maternity leave, facing Irina-Camelia Begu, with the winner advancing to potentially face No. 27 seed Ons Jabeur. The rising Filipina talent Alexandra Eala, 19, is drawn to open against Madrid quarterfinalist Marta Kostyuk.
First Quarter Analysis
Two years ago, Sabalenka arrived in Rome on the back of a Madrid title run, only to be surprisingly defeated in her opening match by Sofia Kenin. There`s a sense of déjà vu this year, as 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin, now the No. 31 seed and having reached a clay final herself in Charleston, poses a potential third-round challenge for Sabalenka.
Before that potential meeting, Sabalenka might need to overcome Dayana Yastremska. The Ukrainian holds a 3-1 head-to-head advantage, although Sabalenka`s single win against her came in Rome last year. Potential opponents in the fourth round include No. 24 seed Leylah Fernandez, who famously upset Sabalenka in the 2021 US Open semifinals, and Marta Kostyuk, who held set points in both sets during their Madrid quarterfinal last week.
A projected quarterfinal clash with No. 8 seed Zheng Qinwen would place Sabalenka in more comfortable head-to-head territory, as she leads the Chinese player 6-0. However, Zheng will first need to navigate her opener against either the fast-rising Olga Danilovic or doubles world No. 1 Katerina Siniakova, followed by a section that features former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, defending Rome champion Elena Rybakina (the No. 11 seed), and Bianca Andreescu, who is returning from another extended break. Rybakina`s first match will be against one of the season`s most improved players: either Madrid quarterfinalist Moyuka Uchijima or Eva Lys.
Notable First-Round Matches: Dayana Yastremska vs. Anastasia Potapova, Alexandra Eala vs. Marta Kostyuk, Moyuka Uchijima vs. Eva Lys, Victoria Azarenka vs. Camila Osorio, Katerina Siniakova vs. Olga Danilovic.
Second Quarter Analysis
Coco Gauff`s projected quarterfinal against Mirra Andreeva promises to be a highlight, but both players face significant challenges to reach that stage. Andreeva, who has yet to secure a win in Rome, will begin her tournament against either Viktoriya Tomova or a qualifier. A powerful opponent in No. 30 seed Linda Noskova could await in the third round. Andreeva is then projected to face No. 10 seed Emma Navarro in the Round of 16. Navarro`s path also includes dangerous names, such as former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, who is returning from a three-month shoulder injury layoff, potentially in the second round, and No. 22 seed Clara Tauson, the Doha runner-up, in the third.
Three of Gauff`s five career encounters with Belinda Bencic have occurred in 2025. A fourth meeting could happen this week in the Rome third round. Gauff must first overcome either wild card Arianna Zucchini or a qualifier, while Bencic, returning to the tour after maternity leave, needs to defeat a qualifier and then No. 32 seed Magda Linette. Gauff holds a 2-1 record against Bencic this year, including a win in their Madrid fourth-round match last week.
Gauff is slated for a Round of 16 match against fellow American and Doha champion Amanda Anisimova, the No. 15 seed. This would be a rematch of the 2017 US Open girls` final. In their professional meetings, they are tied 1-1; Gauff won their only clay match in Parma in 2021, while Anisimova got revenge at Wimbledon in 2022. Anisimova might first need to get past either No. 21 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova or former US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who has defeated Anisimova twice this year. Raducanu`s opening match is against a qualifier, with the winner facing Alexandrova in the second round (they have split their two matches in 2025).
Notable First-Round Matches: Qualifier vs. Belinda Bencic, Qualifier vs. Emma Raducanu, Marketa Vondrousova vs. Wang Xinyu.
Third Quarter Analysis
The third quarter is headed by No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula, who is projected to face No. 6 seed Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals. Neither player has previously advanced beyond the quarterfinals in Rome. Italian No. 1 Paolini faces a difficult road, with No. 27 seed Ons Jabeur, the 2022 Rome runner-up, as her projected third-round opponent. In the Round of 16, she could potentially meet either No. 12 seed Karolina Muchova, who withdrew from Madrid due to illness, or No. 17 seed Jelena Ostapenko, who recently won the Stuttgart title.
Both Muchova and Ostapenko have interesting second-round possibilities. Ostapenko could face a rematch against Rebecca Sramkova, whom she narrowly defeated in a thrilling third-set tiebreak in the Rome fourth round last year. Muchova, meanwhile, could play Anastasija Sevastova, promising a match filled with finesse. Former world No. 11 Sevastova recently upset Ostapenko on her way to the Madrid third round in just her second tournament back from injury.
Jessica Pegula will begin her tournament against either Ashlyn Krueger or a qualifier. Her projected opponent in the fourth round is No. 13 seed Diana Shnaider, who appears to be finding her best form under the guidance of her new coach, Dinara Safina, the 2009 Rome champion.
Notable First-Round Matches: [SR] Petra Kvitova vs. Irina-Camelia Begu, Rebecca Sramkova vs. McCartney Kessler, Lucia Bronzetti vs. [SR] Anastasija Sevastova.
Fourth Quarter Analysis
All attention in this quarter will be on whether Iga Swiatek can perform strongly at one of her most successful venues. The Polish player has not reached a final since winning Roland Garros nearly a year ago and has experienced a series of disappointing losses this season.
Swiatek`s quarter presents a mixed bag of challenges. Unlike Sabalenka, Swiatek generally holds a favorable head-to-head record against most of her main rivals in this section. However, several opponents have secured notable wins against her or pushed her to her limits. Her projected third-round opponent, No. 29 seed Danielle Collins, defeated Swiatek in the 2022 Australian Open semifinals and has since taken her to three sets on three separate occasions.
Beyond Collins, Swiatek is scheduled to face two-time champion and No. 16 seed Elina Svitolina in the Round of 16. The Ukrainian is in excellent form, having won the Rouen title and reached the Madrid semifinals, and she notably ousted Swiatek in the 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinals. The No. 5 seed in this quarter is Madison Keys, who defeated Swiatek from a match point down in the Australian Open semifinals and then secured a dominant 6-0 first set against her in last week`s Madrid quarterfinals. Keys could be Swiatek`s potential quarterfinal opponent.
Madison Keys is projected to meet No. 9 seed Paula Badosa in the fourth round, although the Spaniard`s participation and form are uncertain due to a recurrence of her back injury, which forced her withdrawal from Madrid. Naomi Osaka, who held a match point against Swiatek at Roland Garros last year and recently won a clay title in Saint-Malo, could be a dangerous unseeded player in this section.
Notable First-Round Matches: [WC] Sara Errani vs. Naomi Osaka, Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs. Elina Avanesyan.
Rupert Caldwell