Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the last 16 of the Rome Open on Sunday with a straight-sets victory over Dayana Yastremska, 6-4, 6-2.Sabalenka, who has never won in Rome but is a two-time champion on the Madrid clay, looks in good shape to at least match her 2022 run to the semi-finals.
Rafael Nadal said Saturday that he is leaning towards playing at the French Open despite his second-round elimination in Rome, as Novak Djokovic laughed off being hit by a bottle which briefly cast doubt on his continued participation.Djokovic was left crouching in agony after being accidentally hit on the head by a hard water bottle while signing fan autographs on Friday night.
Novak Djokovic light-heartedly donned a cycling crash helmet on Saturday after being hit on the head by a water bottle at the Rome Open but insisted he was feeling "fine"."Thank you for the messages of concern," Djokovic wrote Saturday on X. "This was an accident and I am fine resting at the hotel with an ice pack.