Iga Swiatek faced another setback on Saturday as she was eliminated by Danielle Collins in the third round of the Italian Open in Rome. Collins’ unexpected 6-1, 7-5 victory over the World No. 2 player defied expectations given their past match history, with Collins having lost seven of their eight previous encounters. Swiatek, a dominant force on the clay courts of Rome with 21 wins in her last 22 matches and three titles in the last four years, has not found the same success lately, failing to secure a tournament title since her triumph at the French Open in Roland Garros last June.
Following this defeat, Swiatek is set to drop to No. 4 in the upcoming rankings after holding onto the top two spots since March 20, 2022. Her nine losses this season already match the total she had in all of the 2024 season, where she finished with a record of 64-9.
Collins attributed her victory to the lessons learned from her numerous matches against Swiatek, emphasizing the value of playing against top competition. With 32 winners and 15 unforced errors compared to Swiatek’s 15 winners and 22 unforced errors, Collins capitalized on her break opportunities, converting six out of eight, while Swiatek struggled with conversions, managing only two out of 10.
Looking ahead, Collins will face No. 16 Elina Svitolina in the fourth round, while other players like Peyton Stearns, Jasmine Paolini, and Diana Shnaider also secured victories in their respective matches. The competition continues to heat up in Rome, with exciting matchups on the horizon.
