On Friday, Magda Linette achieved a promising start at the singles tournament by defeating Greek player Maria Sakkari. However, in her next match on Saturday, Linette faced a tough challenge in the doubles event alongside her partner Rebecca Sramkova. The Polish-Slovak duo encountered significant difficulty against the experienced Australian team of Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez, losing decisively with a score of 1-6, 2-6.
Hunter and Perez are renowned doubles specialists and have been prominent figures in the global rankings for years. Hunter, formerly known under her maiden name Sanders, has even held the title of world number one in doubles. The matchup presented a formidable obstacle for Linette and Sramkova, and after only 56 minutes of play, the Australians celebrated their victory.
Throughout the first set, both teams had multiple opportunities to score; however, Hunter and Perez excelled in crucial moments, particularly in the second and sixth games. Linette and Sramkova missed several chances in the third and fifth games, resulting in a one-sided score in the opening set.
The second set unfolded similarly with Hunter and Perez quickly gaining the upper hand by breaking serve in the first game. They maintained control throughout, not allowing their opponents any opportunities to regain momentum. The Australians further asserted their dominance by breaking again in the seventh game and capitalizing on their first match point immediately afterward.
Although Linette’s doubles journey came to a swift end, she remains in Rome and is set to compete in the singles Round of 16 on Sunday against American Coco Gauff, currently ranked as the world number three.
Meanwhile, the victorious pair of Hunter and Perez will advance to the round of 16, where they will take on American Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Russian Ludmila Samsonova.
This tournament, part of the WTA 1000 series held at the Foro Italico, boasts a substantial prize pool of €6.009 million, showcasing the high stakes and intensity of the competition.