Iga Świątek’s Italian Open match against Naomi Osaka lasted one hour and 22 minutes, but the Pole allowed her opponent just three games, winning with a 6-2, 6-1 score. This was much different than their previous match, where Świątek saved a match point en route to her fourth title at the French Open.
The dominant performance in Rome grabbed attention for the wrong reasons as the tennis community questioned why two multiple Grand Slam champions were surrounded by empty seats during an evening match.
Iga Świątek Beats Naomi Osaka on a Windy Evening at the Italian Open
While Aryna Sabalenka-conqueror Sorana Cîrstea, Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, Flavio Cobolli, and Elena Rybakina bagged a Center Court spot on Monday, Świątek and Osaka were scheduled on the BNP Paribas Arena. For context, the newly introduced stadium is located beside football’s Stadio Olimpico, a considerable walk from the main action.
Their match followed former champion Daniil Medvedev’s 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 comeback win against Spain’s Pablo Llamas Ruiz, which lasted two hours and nine minutes. The stadium wasn’t filled to capacity during Medvedev’s match, but the spectator attendance was considerably greater compared with three-time champion Świątek’s match.
The newly redesigned Grand Stand Arena, now called BNP Paribas Arena, serves as the second-largest tennis stadium at Foro Italico, posting a capacity of over 7,000. Unlike the Center Court, which has two separate sessions, spectators can enjoy high-profile action on the BNP Paribas Arena with the same pass throughout the day.
On Monday, May 11, the ticket prices for the arena started from €114 ($134) onwards. Five exciting matches were scheduled on the court, starting with local star Mattia Bellucci’s defeat to lucky loser Martin Landaluce.
This was followed by a match featuring another Italian, Andrea Pellegrino. The qualifier enjoyed huge support as he staged a massive upset against USA’s Frances Tiafoe to confirm a clash against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Elina Svitolina produced a dominant performance against lucky loser Nikola Bartůňková in the third match before Medvedev’s win.
Świątek vs. Osaka, the final match for the day, started around 7:50 p.m. local time, way past the originally estimated 6 p.m. schedule. The players competed in colder, windier conditions, making the match suboptimal for live viewing. The match also coincided with Italian Flavio Cobolli’s defeat to Thiago Agustin Tirante on the Center Court.
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Interestingly, on Monday, the Italian Open created a new all-time record for ticket sales, with 43,125 attendants. So while fans enjoyed the action at Foro Italico in large numbers, the scheduling for Świątek’s match against Osaka may have resulted in a significantly lower turnout, with fans likely opting for refreshment breaks and following the action from afar.
