Top-seeded Simona Halep improved to 7-0 in tennis’ restart with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Dayana Yastremska on Friday to reach the Italian Open quarterfinals. Also through to the quarterfinals was men’s World number one Novak Djokovic, who won a battle with fellow Serb Filip Krajinovic.
Halep, who is actually on an 11-0 run overall stretching back to February, recovered from an early break in the opening set and then overpowered her 29th-ranked opponent the rest of the way.
Defending champion Karolina Pliskova defeated Russian qualifier Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-3 and will next play 11th-seeded Elise Mertens, who eliminated Montenegrin qualifier Danka Kovinic 6-4, 6-4.
In men’s action, 15th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov ended the run of 19-year-old Jannik Sinner with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win.
Matteo Berrettini beat fellow Italian Stefano Travaglia in a match where both players had the same amount of winners (17) and unforced errors (28).
The tournament has been played without fans so far due to the pandemic, although the Italian government announced on Friday that up to 1,000 spectators will be allowed in to watch the semifinals and finals. Important results: Men: Third round: Novak Djokovic bt Filip Krajinovic 7-6(7), 6-3; Matteo Berrettini bt Stefano Travaglia 7-6(5), 7-6(1); Casper Ruud bt Marin Cilic 6-2, 7-6(6); Denis Shapovalov bt Ugo Humbert 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4; Grigor Dimitrov bt Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Second round: Lorenzo Musetti bt Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-4; Dominik Koepfer bt Gael Monfils 6-2, 6-4; Humbert bt Fabio Fognini 7-5, 7-6(4); Hubert Hurkacz bt Andrey Rublev 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-2; Dusan Lajovic bt Milos Raonic 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2.
Women: Third round: Simona Halep bt Dayana Yastremska 7-5, 6-4; Victoria Azarenka bt Darya Kasatkina 6-6, abandoned; Garbine Muguruza bt Johanna Konta 6-4, 6-1; Elise Mertens bt Danka Kovinic 6-4, 6-4; Karolina Pliskova bt Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-3.
Second round: Azarenka bt Sofia Kenin 6-0, 6-0
