The pair Raluca Olaru (Romania) and Anna-Lena Friedsam (Germany) qualified on Wednesday for the quarterfinals of the doubles event of the WTA tournament in Rome, endowed with total prizes worth 1,692,169 euros, after a victory in two sets, 6-4, 6-3, against Miyu Kato (Japan)/Sabrina Santamaria (USA).
Also in the round of 16, the pairing made up of Simona Halep / Monica Niculescu will face off on Thursday the Japanese pairing of Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama.
As announced, Simona Halep, WTA World No.2 and top seed, progressed past Italian Jasmine Paolini, 99th place in the international hierarchy in two sets, 6-3, 6-4, to the round of 16 of the tournament in Rome. Halep will face off in the round of 16 the winner between the Ukrainian Daiana Iastremska (20 years old, #29 WTA) and the American Amanda Anisimova (19 years old, #27 WTA).
In the second round of this tournament, Irina Begu, #73 WTA, will meet British Johanna Konta, #13 WTA.