Gabriela Ruse (152 WTA) advanced to the second round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome, defeating Linda Fruchtwirtova in straight sets 6-1, 6-0.

Linda Frukhvirtova was eliminated by Gabriela Ruse at WTA Rome

The Romanian got off to a great start, and the first set was decisively handed to the 18-year-old athlete from the Czech Republic, who is ranked 55th in the world.

The second set, which was briefly interrupted by rain, was uneventful, with Gabriela showing herself without losing a single game.

The game lasted only one hour and three minutes.

In the second round, Gabriela Ruse will meet the Brazilian Beatrice Haddad Maia (15 WTA), the 12th favorite of the competition.

By advancing to the second round, Ruse secured a prize of €12,652 and 35 points in the WTA ranking.

Sorana Kirstya also plays on Wednesday (against Katy Volynets), after Ana Bohdan beat Nao Hibino. Iryna Begu goes directly to the second round of the Foro Italico.

The last champions of the Foro Italico

2022 – Iga Svyatek

2021 – Iga Svyatek

2020 – Simona Halep

2019 – Karolina Plishkova

2018 – Elina Svitolina (final with Simona Halep)

2017 – Elina Svitolina (final with Simona Halep)

2016 – Serena Williams

2015 – Maria Sharapova and others.

Know:

• The Italian competition, founded in 1930, has been won three times by a Romanian athlete: Ilie Nestase, 1970 and 1973 editions, and Simona Halep, 2020.

• They have also been in the finals: Ilie Nestase (1974, losing to Bjorn Borg), Virginia Ruzici (1978, 1980, 1981) and Simona Halep (2017, 2018, losing both times to Elina Svitolina).

WTA Rome takes place from May 9 to 20 on the clay in the Foro Italico complex. His total prize money is $3,572,618 and is in the “WTA 1000” category. Iga Svyatek became the champion of the last two competitions.