Italian Open: Vekic takes out Samsonova, books spot v Swiatek in fourth round

Croat Donna Vekic, the No 21 seed, advanced to the fourth round of the Italian Open by beating Russian Liudmila Samsonova, the No 16 seed, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 at the Foro Italico in Rome on Sunday.

Vekic, ranked No 24, will play Pole Iga Swiatek, the top seed, next.

In the previous round of the Rome tournament, the Croat won against Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich (3-6, 6-3, 6-3).

Samsonova, ranked No 16, defeated Estonian Anett Kontaveit (6-3, 6-3) during the round of 64 of the Rome tournament.

Rome WTA 1000, other third-round results (Foro Italico, clay, USD 3.572.618, most recent results first):

• Elena Rybakina (7) beat Anna Kalinskaya: 4-3 ret.
• Jelena Ostapenko (20) beat Barbora Krejcikova (10): 7-6 (2), 6-0
• Paula Badosa beat Marta Kostyuk (32): 6-4, 6-2
• Victoria Azarenka vs. Madison Keys
• Marie Bouzkova (27) beat Coco Gauff (6): 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
• Iga Swiatek beat Lesia Tsurenko: 6-2, 6-0
• Daria Kasatkina (8) beat Julia Grabher: 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (2)
• Karolina Muchova beat Camila Giorgi: 7-6 (4), 6-2
• Marketa Vondrousova beat Maria Sakkari (9): 7-5, 6-3
• Qinwen Zheng (22) beat Anna Bondar (Q): 7-6 (2), 6-4
• Veronika Kudermetova (11) beat Anastasia Potapova (23): 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
• Beatriz Haddad Maia (12) beat Magda Linette (17): 7-5, 6-4
• Xiyu Wang beat Taylor Townsend (Q): 6-2, 0-6, 7-5
• Anhelina Kalinina (30) beat Sofia Kenin: 6-4, 6-2
• Camila Osorio (Q) beat Caroline Garcia (5): 6-4, 6-4