Thursday features the last two ATP singles quarterfinals, as well as both WTA singles semifinals.
The women’s singles semifinals in Rome are highly-anticipated, with the top three players in the world advancing this far at a WTA event for the first time in over a decade. And joining them is the WTA’s winningest player of the last two months. World No.1 Iga Swiatek and World No.3 Coco Gauff will reignite the most prolific (yet one-sided) rivalry of the last few years, while World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka and the red-hot Danielle Collins square off in a rematch from two weeks ago in Madrid.
Also on Thursday, the final two ATP singles quarterfinals will be staged. Hubert Hurkacz faces Tommy Paul, and Stefanos Tsitsipas plays Nicolas Jarry.
Throughout the tournament, this preview will analyze the day’s two most prominent matches, while highlighting the other notable matches on the schedule. Thursday’s play begins at 1:00pm local time.
Iga Swiatek (1) vs. Coco Gauff (3) – Not Before 3:00pm on Center Court
Since their first encounter, three years ago at this same event, Swiatek and Gauff have played 10 times, with Iga claiming nine of 10 in straight sets. Coco’s sole victory came last August on a fast hard court in her home country, part of a career-changing summer for the American, as she went on to claim her first Major title. They met twice more in 2023 after Cincinnati, with Swiatek obviously winning comfortably on both occasions. This is their first matchup of 2024.
For the third year in a row, Iga is putting together a stellar season. She is 36-4, having won the United Cup, Doha, Indian Wells, and Madrid. Swiatek is currently on a 10-match win streak, and has not dropped a set through four rounds in Rome.
Gauff’s level has simmered after her red-hot summer of 2023, and has not won a title since the first week of 2024 in Auckland. She has already survived two three-setters this fortnight, before taking out Australian Open finalist Qinwen Zheng in straight sets on Tuesday. Coco is just 1-4 in WTA 1000 semifinals, though her only win did come against Iga in the aforementioned Cincinnati contest.
And considering Swiatek is 11-4 in this round at this level, she is certainly a solid favorite in this semifinal. With Coco currently lacking her best tennis, and with Iga playing confidently on her favorite surface, there is no evidence indicating an upset on Thursday afternoon.
Danielle Collins (13) vs. Aryna Sabalenka (2) – Not Before 8:30pm on Center Court
Just two weeks ago in the Madrid round of 16, Sabalenka came from a set down to beat Collins in three. That was an extremely notable win for Aryna, as she had been unperforming ever since securing her second Major title in January. She went on to lose a remarkably dramatic championship match in Madrid to Swiatek.
For Collins, that loss to Sabalenka ended her 15-match winning streak, after taking back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston. And it remains her only loss out of her last 20 matches. Danielle has been completely dominant thus far in Rome, winning all seven sets she’s played by a score of 6-4 or better, and spending just five hours on court, compared to over seven hours for Aryna.
But this is another head-to-head that has been completely one-sided. Sabalenka is 5-0 against Collins, though three of those matches have now gone the distance. Despite the back issue that was clearly bothering Aryna earlier in this tournament, she still must be favored to advance in this big-hitting affair.
Other Notable Matches on Thursday:
Hubert Hurkacz (7) vs. Tommy Paul (14) – Hurkacz came back from a set down against Sebastian Baez in the last round to complete a career set of Masters 1000 quarterfinals. Paul is yet to drop a set, and ousted defending champion Daniil Medvedev on Tuesday. Hubi and Tommy have split two previous meetings, both on hard courts.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (6) vs. Nicolas Jarry (21) – Tsitsipas lost just three games to ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur in the fourth round. Jarry arrived in Rome on a four-match losing streak, and has benefitted from a kind draw to this stage, with his opposition having an average ranking of No.90. However, he is 3-2 against Stefanos.
Thursday’s full Order of Play is here.
