–

The second of the (now) two-week Masters 1000s got under way Monday with the first round of qualifying.

And there were two Canadians in the prelims: Genie Bouchard (on a protected ranking) and Katherine Sebov, who has raised her ranking enough with some good results this year to make the qualifying, with the expanded draw. Neither was able to get through.

One to watch was Taylor Townsend vs Mirjam Bjorklund, who is Denis Shapovalov’s girlfriend (Shapovalov is nursing a knee, and isn’t playing Rome this week). But Townsend was all over that.

The matches ran far more true to form than on the men’s side, which was Upset City. Only five of the seeds were defeated Monday – none of them among the top 12.

ATP Rome – Monday, May 8, 2023 final results

(Rome is six hours ahead of EDT).

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Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Location: Rome, Italy (Joint event with the ATP Tour)
Category: WTA 1000
Dates: May 9 – 20, 2023
Prize money: $3,572,618
Draws: S96 – D32

Monday, May 8, 2023
Final results
Qualifying, first round

Canadian Content

[7] Dalma Galfi (HUN) def. [PR] Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 76 (4) 63

Polina Kudermetova (RUS) def [23] Katherine Sebov (CAN) 64 63

Injury retirements

Dayana Yastremska (UKR) def [22] Léolia Jeanjean (FRA) 75 retd

Upsets

Sara Beljek (CZE) def [13] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 61 62
Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) def [14] Erika Andreeva (RUS) 62 61
Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) def [18] Laura Pigossi (BRA) 61 62
Ana Konjuh (CRO) def [21] Olga Danilovic (SRB) 62 75
Priscilla Hon (AUS) def [24] Harriet Dart (UKR) 16 62 62

Seeds advancing

[1] VIktoriya Tomova (BUL) def Sachia Vickery (USA) 75 64
[2] Rebeka Masarova (ESP) def. Olivia Gadecki (AUS) 61 64
[3] Ysaline Bonaventure (BEL) def. [WC] Angelica Moratelli (ITA) 62 62
[4] Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) def. Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) 76 (5) 63
[5] Anna Bondar (HUN) def. Amandine Hesse (FRA) 61 63
[6] Kamilla Rakhimova (RUS) def. Elisabeth Mandlik (USA) 62 61
[8] Tereza Martincova (CZE) def. Jaimee Fourlis (AUS) 76 (4) 76 (5)
[9] Océane Dodin (FRA) def [WC] Anna Turati (ITA) 62 62
[10] Magdalena Frech (POL) def. [WC] Federica Urgesi (ITA) 76 (9) 60
[11] Arantxa Rus (NED) def. Despina Papamichail (GRE) 62 61
[12] Nao Hibino (JPN) def. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 62 10 retd
[15] Camila Osorio (COL) def. [WC] Deborah Chiesa (ITA) 63 61
[16] Marina Bassols Ribera (ESP) def Katrina Scott (USA) 16 64 63
[17] Taylor Townsend (USA) def. Mirjam Bjorklund (SWE) 62 63
[19] Aliona Bolsova (ESP) def. [WC] Jessica Bertoldo (ITA) 60 62
[20] Simona Waltert (SUI) def. [WC] Martina Colmegna (ITA) 62 60