Swiatek and Keys suffer surprise third-round exits in Rome

Iga Swiatek suffered a shock third-round exit at the Italian Open following defeat by Danielle Collins, while Madison Keys fell at the same stage in Rome.

Three-time champion Swiatek is set to drop out of the top three in the world rankings, after she was beaten 6-1 7-5 by the 29th seed.

The five-time major winner, who had won 21 of her previous 22 matches in Rome, was uncharacteristically struggling on serve, double-faulting twice while Collins broke her on four successive occasions to dominate the opening set.

The former Australian Open finalist had lost seven of her eight previous meetings with Swiatek, but ensured a rare taste of victory after coming from behind in the second set.

Having failed to convert her first match point attempt at 5-4, she then did so on her third match point when Swiatek sent a backhand wide.

Australian Open champion Keys was also sent packing by compatriot Peyton Stearns.

The latter came from behind to prevail 2-6 6-2 7-6 (7-3) and reach her second successive WTA-1000 fourth round.

Having struggled in the first set, Stearns rallied brilliantly in the second, with Keys unable to find an edge or even force a break point.

Stearns twice led by a break in the deciding set and, though pegged back both times, she dominated the tie-break to seal her second career top-10 victory after she defeated Qinwen Zheng in Dubai in February.

26 - Iga Swiatek failed to reach the Round of 16 in a WTA-1000 event for the first time since Cincinnati 2021, when she was defeated by Ons Jabeur (she made this stage for 26 such consecutive events). Disenchantment.#IBI25 | @InteBNLdItalia @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/z2slyVzhO8
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) May 10, 2025

Data Debrief: Swiatek slips out of world's top three

Swiatek has failed to reach the round of 16 at the WTA-1000 event for the first time since Cincinnati in 2021, having previously reached that round in each of the 26 attempts.

As a result, the Pole will drop out of the world's top three for the first time since March 2022 (1,161 days ago).

It comes after Collins, aged 31 years and 144 days, became the oldest player to beat a top-two opponent at the Italian Open in the past 40 years.

The American also recorded her first career win over a top-five opponent on clay, having lost her previous six such matches.