Too much Swiatek for Cocciaretto: the Azzurra out of the Internazionali d’Italia
El Elisabetta Cocciaretto’s Roman adventure ends in the second round, beaten cleanly by world number two Iga Swiatek at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, a WTA 1000 tournament underway at the Foro Italico. On the Central, the Marche-based tennis player was unable to contain the competitive fury of the defending champion, who won with a peremptory 6-1 6-0 in just 54 minutes.
After her excellent debut against Elina Avanesyan, Cocciaretto found herself facing one of the most fearsome opponents on the circuit, capable of imparting a furious pace from the very first exchanges. Swiatek immediately made her intentions clear, dominating the first games of the match and leaving very little room for the 23-year-old Italian, who struggled to find effective solutions both on serve and in response.
In the first set, the only game Cocciaretto won came at 5-0, thanks to an ace that prevented her from the infamous “bagel.” A small sign of pride on the part of the Italian, who still showed mental toughness despite the heavy score. The second set, however, was even more one-sided, with Swiatek not giving up a single game to her opponent, sealing the match with a 6-0 win without appeal.
Despite the defeat, the confrontation with an outclass like Swiatek represents an important moment of growth for Cocciaretto, who still earned applause for the attitude and grit she showed. The number two seed, a three-time winner at the Foro Italico, thus confirms her title bid and now awaits the winner between Danielle Collins and Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
