Ukrainian Tennis Player Snigur Falls in Dramatic WTA 1000 Rome Qualifying Final

Rome Qualifying Final

According to Главком: Ukraine's Daria Snigur (WTA 95) lost a grueling three-set qualifier for the WTA 1000 clay-court event in Rome, falling to Italy's Noemi Basiletti (WTA 427) with a score of 6:3, 6:7 (8:10), 6:4. The match lasted two and a half hours. Snigur converted only five of her 15 break-point opportunities, while losing seven of her own service games. During the second-set tiebreak, she fought off three match points. This marked Snigur's fifth appearance in a WTA 1000 qualifying draw, and her first in Rome.

Earlier in the tournament, Snigur defeated Samira De Stefano. Fellow Ukrainian Angelina Kalinina also reached the qualifying final. Meanwhile, Oleksandra Oliynykova (WTA 68) made a strong start at the Rome WTA 1000, winning her first-round match against Petra Marcinko (1:6, 3:6). Oliynykova became the first Ukrainian to win a main-draw match at the 2026 Rome tournament.

Kostyuk's Absence and Other Players' Starts

Notably, Marta Kostyuk, who won the WTA 1000 title in Madrid last week, withdrew from Rome due to a right hip injury. Elina Svitolina will enter the tournament in the second round, while Dayana Yastremska and Yuliia Starodubtseva are set to play their first-round matches.

The Rome tournament serves as a key preparation event for the French Open. While Kostyuk's absence may impact Ukraine's chances, Oliynykova's successful main-draw debut provides a boost. Although Snigur failed to qualify, her fighting spirit-especially her resilience in the tiebreak-highlights her potential for future growth.

As the tournament progresses, the absence of Marta Kostyuk due to injury raises questions about Ukraine's overall performance in Rome. Her recent success in Madrid made her withdrawal particularly impactful, leaving other players like Oleksandra Oliynykova and Elina Svitolina to carry the torch as they advance in this crucial lead-up to the French Open.