Serena Williams continues her trek back to the top. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal continue to battle on clay a week after their play on clay didn’t go so well. Yes, Roger Federer competes as well with the trifecta of top players on Day 5.
Italian Open 2012: Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova Headline Day 5
It will be the first day in a tournament this year though that Victoria Azarenka won’t be there for the third round of the tournament. Azarenka withdrew after her second-round match -- a breeze of a win in which she dropped only three games -- with a shoulder injury.
Maria Sharapova is the top seed left on the woman’s side. If she finished the tournament with the trophy in hand, she could redeem the world No. 1 spot going into Roland Garros.
It’s a spot she hasn’t been in since Roland Garros ... in 2008.
(Top 10 seeds in bold)
Centrale, starting at noon ET
Novak Djokovic vs. Juan Monaco
Samantha Stosur vs. Venus Williams
Marcel Granollers vs. Rafael Nadal
Ana Ivanovic vs. Maria Sharapova
Roger Federer vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero
Supertennis Arena, starting at 11 a.m. ET
Sorana Cirstea vs. Petra Kvitova
David Ferrer vs. Gilles Simon
Richard Gasquet vs. Andy Murray
Chanelle Scheepers vs. Li Na
Juan Martin Del Potro vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Piertrangeli, starting at 11 a.m. ET
Tomas Berdych vs. Nicolas Almagro
Serena Williams vs. Anabel Medina Garrigues
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