Svitolina Faces Baptiste in Thrilling Italian Open Match

PARIS, France — Elina Svitolina, the No. 16 seed, is set to compete against Hailey Baptiste in the Round of 32 at the 2025 Italian Open. The match will take place after both players advanced through earlier rounds at the Super Tennis Arena.

Svitolina, a two-time champion in Rome, showcased her skills with a 6-4, 7-6(2) victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. This win contributes to her impressive 10-1 record on clay for the year. Baptiste, from the USA, qualified for this round by defeating Anna Blinkova and 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova.

In their first encounter on the WTA tour, Svitolina holds a significant advantage in ranking and experience, which could play a crucial role in the match’s outcome. Baptiste’s strong serve has been a highlight this season, with over 76% of her service games won on clay.

Svitolina, who recently faced Sabalenka in a hard-fought match, aims to capitalize on Baptiste’s defensive backhand and maintain her winning momentum in this tournament. With a high serve percentage, Svitolina is expected to put pressure on Baptiste throughout the match.

As anticipation builds for this encounter, fans await to see if Svitolina can continue her winning streak or if Baptiste will pull off an upset. The winner will progress to face either Iga Swiatek or Danielle Collins in the Round of 16.