Sabalenka cruises into Rome last 16

ROME:

Aryna Sabalenka reached the last 16 of the Italian Open on Sunday after battling back from a set down to beat Sofia Kenin 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to continue her bid for a first Rome title.

World number one Sabalenka came through a tough match with former Australian Open winner Kenin to set up a clash with Marta Kostyuk, who beat Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2.

The Belarusian has reached the final of her last four tournaments, winning in both Miami and Madrid, and is now hot favourite at the Foro Italico even after Sunday's below-par display.

Last year's losing finalist was not at the races in the first set, consistently misplacing her backhands before appearing to complain about the surface on centre court.

"I was completely off, and I'm really glad I was able to cool myself down and... start focusing on the game and the right things," Sabalenka told reporters.

"This court, because it's super slow and the ball really drops a lot, for her (Kenin's) game for her style it's like it definitely suits her well, so you have to stay low and you're always on the back foot."

Sabalenka continued to lament her performance even as she slowly turned the match around, breaking Kenin at the seventh time of asking in the second game of the third set before immediately being broken back to love.

But in the end she had too much for Kenin, showing her fighting spirit even while battling against her own performance.

Sabalenka has a great opportunity to claim her third 1000 series crown of the season, after three-time winner Iga Swiatek was dumped out by Danielle Collins on Saturday.

"She's facing really tough challenges I believe, on and off the court," added Sabalenka of Swiatek.

"Maybe needs some time off and then and she's gonna get back on top of the game because level is there. She's a champion."

One of Sabalenka's key rivals for the women's title, Coco Gauff, cruised past Magda Linette in straight sets 7-5, 6-3 and will be expected to see off Emma Raducanu in the next round.

France's Arthur Fils came through 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 an eventful match with former Rome finalist Tsitsipas which ended with the pair arguing over the net.

Fils, who set up potential a clash with reigning champion Alexander Zverev, was hit by a Tsitsipas shot in the seventh game of the second set.

And Tsitsipas was angry at Fils for ignoring his apologies, sparking a post-match row which caused the umpire to come down from his chair.

Daniil Medvedev swept past Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-1 and next faces home hope Lorenzo Musetti who followed Sabalenka on centre court by beating Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-3.

World number nine Musetti is the first of the four Italians left in the men's tournament to reach the last 16, and he did it in his first week as a member of the world's top 10.

Wild card entry Francesco Passaro will try his hand against 23rd seed Karen Khachanov later in the Grand Stand Arena.

Carlos Alcaraz will continue his bid for a first Rome title when he takes to centre court to face Laslo Djere in the last match of the day.

Men's third seed Alcaraz could face Jannik Sinner in the final with the Italian sweeping aside Mariano Navone on Saturday in his first match since the end of his three-month doping ban.