 Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 23 May 2007 |  Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 23 May 2007 |  Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 23 May 2007 |  Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 23 May 2007 |  Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 23 May 2007 |  Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 23 May 2007 |
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| 22 May 2007 | |
| Grade A Italian Open Update: Romboli & Zsilinszka Fall in the First Round |
In the first major shock of this years Italian Open, the world number 3, Fernando Romboli (BRA) has crashed out of the tournament at the first hurdle.
In the absence of defending champion Jonothan Eysseric (FRA), Romboli was installed as the number one seed and a hot favourite to take the world number one's title. Romboli's form this year has been excellent and having reached the final of three of his last seven tournaments, including a runner up finish at the Copa Gerdau, he fully deserved his top seed ranking. His first round opponent was Ilija Martinoski (MKD) who has had a successful tour of the Italian clay courts, reaching the semi-finals in both of his previous tournaments over the past month. However, Martinoski was not expected to cause the top seed too many problems in the first encounter between these two players.
Instead spectators were treated to a first day shock as Martinoski completely outplayed the top seed, losing just one game as he took the first set 6-1. His performance in the second set was even better as he broke the Romboli three times to take the set 6-0, completing a comprehensive 6-1 6-0 victory and sending the top seed tumbling out of the competition. The first round also saw sixth seed Ricardo Berankis (LTU) lose 4-6 6-3 6-1 to Cristobal Saavedra (CHI). The other notable losses were Radu Albot (11th seed), Lofo Ramiaramanana (14th seed), Daniel Evans (15th seed) & Johnny Hamui (16th seed). New favourite Stephane Piro (FRA) went through, as did seeded players Kellen Damico (3rd seed), Matteo Trevisan (4th seed), Ricardo Urzua (5th seed), Guillermo Rivera (7th seed), Hsien-Ying Peng (8th seed), Rhyne Williams (9th seed) and Vladimir Ignatik (10th seed).
In the girls singles, day one saw third seed Reka Zsilinszka make an early exit as she was defeated in straight sets by Stephanie Vogt (LIE). Vogt, a finalist at the Grade 1 Perin Memorial in Croatia this year, won 7-5 6-3. Meanwhile, tenth seed Malena Gordo (ARG) slumped to defeat against Russian Kamenskaya 6-2 6-2 and fifteenth seed Ioana Ivan (ROU) also lost, to the Bulgarian player Aleksandrina Naydenova 6-2 6-3. The Russian pair at the top of the seedings, Anastasia Pivovarova and Ksenia Pervak both won in straights sets, as did 9th seed Tereza Mrdeza and 14th seed Shiho Akita. Of the young players to watch, Cindy Chala (FRA) was victorious over Yana Buchina (RUS) 2-6 6-3 6-2, Tamaryn Hendler (BEL) beat AAlexandra Damaschin (ROU) 5-7 6-3 6-3 and Michelle Larcher de Brito (POR) defeated Angelika Aliev (ISR) 6-2 6-1.
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