The WTA party in Rome comes alive on the fifth day with former champion Elina Svitolina and 2022 runner-up Ons Jabeur in action. The Tunisian will be up against fan favourite Jasmine Paolini in what promises to be the match of the day. With several other exciting matches on the cards, we at LWOT join the party to predict who will advance to the next round.
WTA Rome Day 5 Predictions
Madison Keys vs Peyton Stearns
Head–to–Head: Keys 0 vs 1 Stearns
Madison Keys will be looking for her first victory against fellow American Peyton Stearns in Rome.
The Australian Open champion‘s strong performance in 2025 continues to impress, following a 7-6 6-1 victory against Varvara Gracheva in the second round. This sets the stage for an all-American clash with world number 42 Stearns, who has not dropped a single set in the Italian capital and showcased her skills with a convincing 6-2 6-3 win over Anna Kalinskaya.
Interestingly, Stearns holds a 1-0 lead in their head-to-head matchups after Keys retired while leading 3-6 7-5 3-0 in Toronto last year.
It could be a more challenging match than many expect, but Keys has only experienced four losses in her last 26 matches, and that sense of confidence, along with the motivation to claim USA bragging rights, should help her prevail.
Prediction: Keys in 3
Elina Svitolina vs Hailey Baptiste
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
Elina Svitolina achieved her 12th victory in the last 13 matches with a tough 6-4 7-6 win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to set up an encounter against Hayley Baptiste who surprised everyone by defeating another seeded player, Liudmila Samsonova.
This matchup marks their first encounter, but Svitolina is in some of her best form in years and will be aware of Baptiste’s impressive performance against Samsonova. The Ukrainian’s counter-punching technique has kept her strong and disciplined, making it difficult to see how Baptiste will penetrate her defences under these circumstances.
Prediction: Svitolina in 2
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Naomi Osaka vs Marie Bouzkova
Head–to–Head: Osaka 2 vs 0 Bouzkova
Naomi Osaka extended her winning streak on clay to seven matches with a determined comeback win against Viktorija Golubic. The Japanese star anticipated a thrilling contest with Paula Badosa, but after the Spaniard’s late withdrawal, she had to adapt to face the Swiss lucky loser.
The former world number one fought hard to regain her form and secured the victory in a three-setter.
Osaka is now set to compete against world number 53 Marie Bouzkova, who is yet to lose a set in Rome after a decisive straight sets win over Beatriz Haddad Maia in her last match. This encounter will mark their third match-up, with Osaka having won both previous meetings on hard courts in straight sets.
Their first clash on clay, along with the fact that the four-time Grand Slam champion is not quite the same player she once was, makes this a closer contest, but the world number 48 is demonstrating significant resilience at the moment, and with her confidence high, she should manage to find a way to win.
Prediction: Osaka in 3
Jasmine Paolini vs Ons Jabeur
Head–to–Head: Paolini 2 vs 2 Jabeur
Jasmine Paolini aims to harness the crowd’s energy to her advantage as she prepares to face Ons Jabeur in an exciting third-round matchup. The Italian basked in the encouragement of her home crowd while comfortably defeating Lulu Sun 6-4 6-3, setting the stage for a fifth encounter with the Tunisian.
Jabeur emerged victorious in their initial two matches, but the sixth seed has triumphed in their latest two, including a straight-sets victory on the Stuttgart clay last year.
Jabeur consistently has the potential to deliver some extraordinary and inspired tennis, and she may elevate her game in what is expected to be a vibrant atmosphere. However, she has competed in only one clay match this year and might not yet be at the level she desires to challenge a player who has excelled over the last 18 months.
Prediction: Paolini in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
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