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It marks the third time that the 20th-seeded
Ostapenko has reached the final eight in Rome. She also did so
in 2018 and 2021.
After losing the second set, Ostapenko came out strong in the
third and rolled through the set in 29 minutes. She broke the
Russian's service three times while winning 62.5 percent of her
return points.
Kasatkina had seven double faults against just one ace.
Ostapenko will face either Paula Badosa of Spain or Karolina
Muchova of the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. The two
unseeded players had their Monday night match postponed due to
rain.
The match between top-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland and No. 21
Donna Vekic of Croatia also was postponed by rain.
No. 7 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan converted 73 percent of her
first-serve points while notching a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Czech
Marketa Vondrousova. Rybakina had a 4-0 edge in aces and 28-13
in winners.
"I'm happy to stay aggressive," Rybakina said. "There were some
moments it was up and down but overall it was a good match, good
serving from me. For sure now I need as many matches as I can to
be more confident at the French Open."
Rybakina will next face the winner of the match between Swiatek
and Vekic.
American Madison Keys, the No. 19 seed, had her time in Rome
reach an end as No. 30 Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine rallied for
a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory. Kalinina is 3-0 all-time against Keys.
"I think it was just about playing point by point," Kalinina
said afterward. "It sounds very unusual, but I think it was the
key, because Madison started today unbelievably.
"I almost didn't have any chances in the first set, because it
was really sort of a fast, aggressive game from her.
Kalinina next faces No. 12 Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil. Haddad
Maia notched a 6-3, 6-3 win over another South American,
qualifier Camila Osorio of Colombia.
No. 11 Veronika Kudermetova of Russia rolled to a 6-2, 6-2 win
over No. 27 Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic. Kudermetova
won 85.2 percent of her first-serve points in the 79-minute
match.
Kudermetova will next face No. 22 Qinwen Zheng, who recorded a
6-4, 3-6, 6-1 win over Xiyu Wang in an all-Chinese affair.
--Field Level Media
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