Katie Volynets vs Arantxa Rus Preview & Prediction | 2025 Italian Open | First Round

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Katie Volynets of the United States takes on Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands in round one of the Italian Open.

Ranking points: WTA 1000

Start date/time: Wednesday 7th May, 2025: UK – not before 2:40pm / US ET – not before 8:40am / US PT – not before 5:40am

Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy

Surface: Outdoor clay

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / US – Tennis Channel

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Tennis Channel

Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Katie Volynets vs Arantxa Rus ticket information

Katie Volynets vs Arantxa Rus prediction

Katie Volynets thrashed two-time Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitova in the first-round of Madrid but was blown off the court by 13th seed Diana Shnaider in the next round, losing 6-1 6-2. She then dropped down to play a WTA 125k event in Saint-Malo as the third seed but could only make the quarter-finals as she was defeated by Kaja Juvan. Volynets did comfortably make it past both qualifying stages to compete in the main draw here.

She takes on Arantxa Rus in the first-round as the Dutch player also made it through qualifying. The winner of the 2023 Hamburg Open has struggled for form throughout the season, as she lost in Madrid qualifying and failed to move past the first-round of the Catalonia Open on the Challenger Tour. Rus has made it through to the second-round of just one event so far this season.

Volynets has a 2-0 record against Rus, wining their only encounter on clay in three sets at the 2024 Charleston Open. Both players are not in the best of form but we lean towards the American coming out on top in three sets.

 Katie Volynets vs Arantxa Rus tip: Katie Volynets to win 2-1