Down 1-3 in the deciding set, Alex Ila once again showed her trademark resilience on clay with a 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Magdalena French in the first round of the Italian Open on Wednesday.
Iara played sharp and composed, leading a rally from the baseline in a dominant first set.
She broke early and often, overwhelming the French with the depth and control she delivered bageling. Serving efficiency set the tone. While winning 67% of his first serve points, he remained in perfect condition after his second serve, laying a clean foundation for aggressive play in the return game.
But the momentum shifted in the second set when French adjusted, stepping into returns and putting pressure on Ila’s service game.
A quick break in the first set gave the Polish veteran a 3-0 cushion. Aira pushed into the middle of the set with a break in the fifth game and briefly threatened to go up 2-3, but French regained the advantage with a timely counter-break in the sixth game.
From there, she maintained her level, finishing the set with consistent shot making and improved court positioning.
The final match followed a similar scenario at the beginning, with Fletch scoring the first goal and building a 3-1 lead. But on clay courts, where patience and composure often decide matches, Ila fell short.
Iara extended the rally, forced mistakes and turned the tide with a crucial break in the sixth game. That sparked a three-game surge, and he took control at 4-3, before hitting a knockout blow with another break in the 10th game to clinch the comeback.
Aira will advance to the round of 64 to face 31st seed Wang Xinyu, setting up an interesting showdown between Asian players in Rome.
