Serena Faces Challenging Rome Draw

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

ROME, Italy – World No.1 Serena Williams will have to run the gauntlet if she is to recapture the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, after Friday’s draw placed her in the same section as several title rivals.

After her last-minute withdrawal from Madrid because of flu, Williams will begin her clay court campaign at the Foro Italico, a venue that holds many fond memories; three times the American has been crowned champion in the Eternal City (2002, 2013 and 2014), and on the first two occasions she followed it up with French Open glory.

As one of the top eight seeds, Williams receives a first-round bye, before taking on either Anna Karolina Schmiedlova or Anna-Lena Friedsam in her clay court opener. Should she clear this opening hurdle, Williams is projected to meet Ana Ivanovic in the third round, Simona Halep in the quarterfinals, then Victoria Azarenka in the last four.

No.4 seed Azarenka is still nursing the back injury that forced her out of Madrid and will begin with the winner of Margarita Gasparyan and Irina-Camelia Begu. Also keeping her company in arguably the most open section of the draw are Roberta Vinci, Karolina Pliskova and Lucie Safarova.

Like Williams, No.2 seed Angelique Kerber has been placed in a tricky quarter. Awaiting her in the second round will be either Jelena Jankovic or Eugenie Bouchard, before a likely third-round date with one of the WTA’s finest clay courters, Sara Errani. Should she negotiate the treacherous path to the last eight, Petra Kvitova or Venus Williams could lie in wait.

Looking to bounce back from her Madrid disappointment, No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza will need to watch out for another banana skin; Ekaterina Makarova, Kristina Mladenovic and Elina Svitolina are all capable of scuppering her all-Spanish quarterfinal against Carla Suárez Navarro in the quarterfinals.

Click here to see the draw in full.

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