​Gabriela Rousse (152nd in the world ranking) advanced to the second round of the WTA qualification in Rome on Monday after a decisive victory over Laura Pigossi.

Our athlete needed an hour and 13 minutes to defeat the Brazilian, who is ranked 133rd in the WTA ranking, with a score of 6-1, 6-2.

Ruse will face the winner of the match between Elizabeth Mandlik (117 WTA) and Camilla Rakhimova (90 WTA) for a place in the final qualifying round at the Foro Italico.

Know:

• Having passed in the second round of qualification, Gabriela secured a prize of 5,982 euros and 20 points in the WTA ranking.​

• Romania has three players admitted directly to the main draw from Rome: Iryna Begu, Sorana Kirstia and Ana Bohdan.

The last champions from the Italian Forum

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.