Italian Open: Camila Osorio stuns Caroline Garcia; marks maiden WTA 1000 pre-quarters

Camila Osorio began Saturday at the Italian Open with an upset over fifth seed Caroline Garcia. The Colombian won their third-round clash 6-4, 6-4 after an hour and 43 minutes.

Garcia was left impaired with both the court conditions and her opponent, who used the rain-affected court conditions to her advantage. Osorio won 70% of her first-serve points to Garciaā€™s 69% and 46% points on her second serve. She also won 68% points on return on the Frenchwomanā€™s second serve. Throughout the match, Osorio lost her serve only once while converting three of six break points she generated.

This is the first time the 21-year-oldā€™s made it to the fourth round of a WTA 1000 tournament. For a chance to better her career statistics and make a debut in the quarter-finals of such a big event, Osorio will play 12th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Italian Open: Latin American face-offs, Chinese rivalries in Roma

The Brazilian took two hours and nine minutes to complete a 7-5, 6-4 win over 17th seed and 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist, Magda Linette. Haddad Maia won 63% of her first-serve points and 75% of her second-serve points. On the other hand, Linette relatively struggled and was able to win only 53% of her first-serve points and 60% of her second-serve points. The world no. 10 converted four of six break points on the Poleā€™s serve while saving three of five break points she faced.

There was another WTA 1000 fourth-round debutant in Xiyu Wang. The Chinese, who recently brought in Nigel Sears as her coach, ousted Taylor Townsend in their third-round match-up. The American saved for the match in the 10th game of the third set and even had a match point before the match turned Wangā€™s way. Finally, after two hours and 12 minutes, Wang prevailed 6-2, 0-6, 7-5 to make it this far in an event of this stature in a career first.

Wang will play Qinwen Zheng in a Chinese derby next. The 22nd seed won her round-of-32 clash against Anna Bondar, 7-6(2), 6-4.

Veronika Kudermetova and Anhelina Kalinina also won their respective third-round matches at the Italian Open. The 11th-seeded Kudermetova defeated 23rd seed Anastasia Potapova, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1. The 30th-seeded Kalinina got through against Sofia Kenin, 6-4, 6-2.

Photo Credit: The Tennis Letter Twitter