Brilliant Bianca Andreescu makes Rome return, sets up Donna Vekic clash

After not playing in Rome last year, Bianca Andreescu has continued to fly back into winning ways on the clay and has set up a clash with Donna Vekic in the second round at the Rome Open.

Andreescu won through 6-0, 6-3 over Federica Urgesi, an Italian wildcard winning in just over an hour to set up that clash with Vekic.

It was perhaps relief too given that she played at the Catalonia Challenger last week and was poor in losing out in the opening round in a week designed to give her the reps she needed in terms of match practice.

Albeit she did technically have those as she stormed to doubles glory, but it wasn't the same as Naomi Osaka who went on to win Saint Malo. But it is perhaps all a learning curve as most of Andreescu's career has been so far and she will look to ride that wave this week in Rome.

Andreescu knows she will have to likely tackle qualifying at the French Open after this week with no sort of protected ranking or wildcard in sight so very much needs the games in order to get herself back into the groove ahead of that.

Seeing off Urgesi perhaps isn't too impressive with the 20-year-old given a wildcard into this event but a win is a win. She looked good in Madrid defeating a rising American in McCartney Kessler followed by losing comfortably to Elena Rybakina albeit at times she did cause the 10th seed some issues.

But given she hadn't played apart from Rouen the week before since the tail end of last year the signs were bright and she has carried that over after losing to Kimberly Birrell comfortably in Catalonia last week. Onto Vekic for Andreescu next up in what will be an intriguing tie with the Croat either amazing or awful this year so far. A chance could await Andreescu.

Match Statistics Andreescu vs. Urgesi