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Sabalenka breezes into Italian Open quarter-finals after beating Kostyuk

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Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the Italian Open quarter-finals after downing a spirited Marta Kostyuk in straight sets on Monday.

The world number one breezed to a 6-1 7-6 (10-8) victory inside one hour and 35 minutes on the clay courts of Rome.

Zheng Qinwen awaits in the last eight after the eighth seed overcame Bianca Andreescu in straight sets.

Kostyuk survived four break points before succumbing on the fifth as Sabalenka coasted into a 3-0 lead in the first set before holding her serve to see out a routine clincher.

Neither of the pair backed down in the second set, however, trading blows for seven straight games before Kostyuk broke her opponent for a 5-3 lead.

However, the world number 27 then dropped her own serve without winning a single point to level up at 5-5 before both were broken to tee up the tie-break decider.

Sabalenka refused to budge, eventually breaking down Kostyuk's serve before holding out for victory with the ball in hand on her third match point.

Elsewhere in Rome, Mirra Andreeva recovered from losing the first set to beat Clara Tauson 5-7 6-3 6-2.

Monday marked the third time in 2025 that Tauson has lost to the 18-year-old, who has already won two tournaments this year and will next face Coco Gauff.

Data Debrief: Sabalenka soars as number one

Sabalenka has now reached five quarter-finals in the WTA-1000 format since becoming the world number one.

Since the format's introduction in 2009, only Serena Williams and Ash Barty (six each) have managed more last-eight appearances in their first seven outings as world number one.

In Monday's other notable clash, Tauson became the first player that Andreeva has defeated three times in a single season at WTA level (Dubai, Indian Wells and Rome).

Andreeva is also the youngest player to reach four Tier I/WTA-1000 quarter-finals in a single season, since Serena Williams in 1999.