Iga Swiatek suffered a surprise elimination from the Italian Open on Saturday as the reigning Rome champion was knocked out by Danielle Collins, 6-1, 7-5.
World number two Swiatek was aiming for a fourth title at the Foro Italico but failed to progress beyond the third round of the final major tournament before Roland Garros.
Collins, from the United States, will now face either Elina Svitolina or fellow American Hailey Baptiste in the last 16, as the world number 35 pursues a second unlikely WTA 1000 title, having triumphed in Miami last year.
Swiatek’s early exit comes as a major upset for the Pole, who typically dominates on clay and boasts an impressive track record in the Italian capital.
The nature of her defeat raises further concerns ahead of the French Open, particularly following her straight-sets loss to Coco Gauff in the Madrid Open semi-finals earlier this month.
Swiatek was a shadow of the player who has claimed four French Open crowns, broken four times in the opening set and unable to assert herself against Collins, whom she had beaten in eight of their previous nine meetings.
Later in the day, men’s world number one Jannik Sinner is set to return to action against Argentina’s Mariano Navone, following a contested three-month doping suspension.