Staff Reporter.
American Peyton Stearns pulled off a career-defining win over former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka- and then immediately vomited courtside after shaking hands with Naomi Osaka.
In the quarterfinals, Stearns will face one of Danielle Collins, who knocked out reigning champion Iga Swiatek, or Elina Svitolina after coming through an attritional match which lasted two hours and 43 minutes on a baking centre court.
Osaka is another big name that Stearns has beaten in Rome after also knocking out fifth seed Madison Keys in the previous round.
Osaka has looked a long way from the player who has won four Grand Slams since returning last year from a 15-month break from tennis for the birth of her daughter.
Her comeback was also hampered by an abdominal injury that forced her out of the Australian Open, after which early exits at Indian Wells and Madrid highlighted how far she was from her best.
“I think in the tiebreak I was just trying not to throw up in the middle of the court,” Stearns said sheepishly during her on-court interview. “I wasn’t feeling the best. I dug deep. I don’t think I’ve dug that deep in a while.”
Jasmine Paolini is also in action on centre court, before women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka takes on Marta Kostyuk.