Zverev cruises, Sabalenka battles past Kenin in Rome

Alexander Zverev continued his Italian Open title defence by cruising past qualifier Vilius Gaubas and reaching the last 16, as Aryna Sabalenka progressed with a battling 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Sofia Kenin. Zverev barely broke a sweat on centre court against Gaubas, easing to a 6-4, 6-0 win to set up a last-16 clash […]

Alexander Zverev continued his Italian Open title defence by cruising past qualifier Vilius Gaubas and reaching the last 16, as Aryna Sabalenka progressed with a battling 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Sofia Kenin.

Zverev barely broke a sweat on centre court against Gaubas, easing to a 6-4, 6-0 win to set up a last-16 clash with France’s Arthur Fils.

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The world No 2 took one hour 26 minutes to see off Gaubas, suggesting that the burn-out he said he was suffering earlier in the year might be behind him.

But he will face a much tougher test against Fils, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, than the one put up by Gaubas.