Italian Open WTA Entry List: Barty, Halep, Osaka, Serena

For the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2020, in Rome, the WTA Entry List is almost perfect. To compete on the courts of the Foro Italico there will be 42 tennis players of the top 43 of the WTA world ranking. In fact, only the Chinese Qiang Wang, who occupies the 29th position of the ranking, will be absent.

The WTA/ATP combined event scheduled from 14 to 21 September will see the come back to the court of world number one Ashleigh Barty, absent from the US Open along with five other top-10. The tournament in the capital will be an opportunity to find the best rhythm by challenging the strongest rivals he will meet at the Roland Garros.

In fact, in Paris, the Australian will have to defend the trophy she won last year. World number two Simona Halep, who reached the semifinals in Rome in 2013 starting from qualifying, losing to Serena Williams, could be Barty's most difficult opponent.

The 28-year-old from Costanza has a challenge with the Foro Italico as she has played two finals in the last three years, always losing to Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. The reigning champion is the Czech Karolina Pliskova, number 3 of the ranking, who in Rome won her most important trophy on clay-courts, while among the champions of the previous years there are the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, number 5 WTA, who won the title in 2017 and 2018.

There should be Serena Williams, number 9 WTA, who has a special bond with Roma. The 38-years-old American champion is on the hunt for her fifth title after her successes after those of 2002, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Perfect women's singles entry list for the next Italia Open

Great curiosity also for three players expected to confirm on clay-courts Starting with the American Sofia Kenin, number 4 WTA, 21 years-old, winner in January in Melbourne of her first Grand Slam trophy, who last year at the Forum in the second round forced Pliskova to the third set, then winner of the title.

Then there should be Bianca Andreescu, for the first time in Rome. The Canadian, 20 years-old, absolute revelation of last season when between a physical problem and another she triumphed at Indian Wells, Toronto and the US Open: for her, stopped from the WTA Finals last October due to a knee injury left, it is the return to competitions after ten and a half months.

Finally Naomi Osaka, number 10 WTA, who after being the best of all - in January 2019 she was the first Asian tennis player to sit on the world throne - has also become the richest (according to the magazine "Forbes"). The Japanese is in her fourth participation: last year she retired in the quarters with Bertens. Main draw with 64 places with the top eight seeds that will enter the competition directly in the second round: 42 players admitted directly, 8 promoted by qualifiers, 5 wild cards and one special exempt.

As for the qualifications, scheduled for Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, the scoreboard has 32 places: 28 players admitted by ranking plus 4 wild cards.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3jnRA2z