It is the second WTA 1000 semi-final featuring the three best-ranked women in the world, following Doha in 2013. And it is also the first time that the top two women in the world have reached the semi-finals at back-to-back WTA 1000 events since Miami and Madrid in 2013.
Sabalenka had needed treatment on her back during her epic win over Elina Svitolina in the previous round but after a short training session, she was happy to play.
“I was testing my body on the warmup and I felt: “OK, I’m probably going to go on the court and play”, she told reporters, quoted by the WTA website. “And I’m super happy I was able to play without pain today. Hopefully, with every day I will feel better and better. I would definitely say that was the best performance of the tournament.”
Sabalenka, ranked No 2, coped well with a testing wind in Rome as she set up a clash with the winner of the match between Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, the No 24 seed, and American Danielle Collins, the No 13 seed, next.
The Belarusian defeated American qualifier Katie Volynets (4-6, 6-3, 6-2), Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, the No 32 seed (6-4, 6-2) and Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, the No 16 seed (4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7)) earlier in the tournament.
In the previous rounds of the Rome tournament, Ostapenko, ranked No 10, won against Russian Anastasia Potapova (6-4, 6-2), Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo (6-4, 5-7, 6-1) and Slovak qualifier Rebecca Sramkova (4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3)).
Roma WTA 1000, other last 8 results (Foro Italico, clay, USD 5.509.771, most recent results first):
