Madison Keys Faces Peyton Stearns at Italian Open Third Round

ROME, Italy – Madison Keys, the fifth seed, will take on fellow American Peyton Stearns this Saturday in the third round of the Italian Open. Keys, who received a first-round bye, reached this stage after defeating Varvara Gracheva in straight sets, surviving a close tiebreak in the first set.

Stearns has cruised through her early matches, securing easy victories over wild card Nuria Brancaccio and Anna Kalinskaya, winning both encounters in straight sets. Despite her promising start this season, Stearns has struggled with consistency, failing to advance beyond the round of 16 in any singles event so far.

In contrast, Keys has demonstrated a strong performance recently, highlighted by a quarterfinal finish in Auckland and back-to-back titles at the ASB Classic and the Australian Open. She has also seen success at Indian Wells and Madrid, where she pushed top seed Iga Swiatek to three sets, solidifying her as a tournament favorite.

In their previous encounter at the 2024 Toronto Open, Stearns emerged victorious when Keys was forced to retire due to injury in the deciding set after winning the first. With both players entering this rematch in good form, the anticipation builds as fans wonder how their dynamic will play out.

“This will feel like a true first clash, and I’m looking forward to it,” said Keys. The matchup promises excitement, given Stearns’ competitive spirit paired with Keys’ current momentum.

Betting odds favor Keys at 21/50 compared to Stearns’ 37/20. Expect a thrilling match as they seek to prove themselves on the clay as the tournament progresses.