The Argentine tennis player Nadia Podoroska was quickly eliminated from the Masters 1000 in Rome after losing today in the initial round with the American Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-1.
Podoroska, born in Rosario and ranked 101 in the WTA world ranking, couldn’t do much against Stephens (36) and lost in straight sets after one hour and 23 minutes of play.
The American will play her next match against Victoria Azarenka (17), who will enter the tournament directly in the second round.
In the women’s draw of the contest that takes place in the Foro Italico, the favorite is the Polish Iga Swiatek, the number one in the world who also won the last two editions.
His main rival will be the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (2), champion this year in Australia and winner of the Polish last Saturday in the final of the Masters 1000 in Madrid.
As for the Argentines who lifted the trophy in Rome, Guillermo Vilas won the 1980 edition, José Luis Clerc was crowned in 1981 and Alberto “Luli” Mancini in 1989.
However, the most outstanding of the Argentines was Gabriela Sabatini, who was crowned at the Foro Italico four times: 1988, 1989, 1991 and 1992.
