The Olympic champions do not stop roaring. Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini continue their successful defense of the title they won last year, hitting the quarterfinals at the Internazionali d’Italia 2025. The Azzurri, credited with the number 3 seed, overcame in a real battle the duo composed of Leylah Fernandez and Yulia Putintseva with a score of 6-4, 4-6, [10-7] in one’hour and forty minutes of heated and hard-fought play.

The first set opened with great balance, but in the decisive moment Errani and Paolini’s greater experience and mental solidity made the difference. After being surprised with a break in the fourth game, the Italians immediately respond with the counterbreak and from there on raise the level, closing 6-4 thanks to a series of impeccable service turnovers.

In the second partial, things seemed to be going downhill for the Azzurri, who immediately took a 2-0 lead. But Fernandez and Putintseva reacted with grit and strung together four consecutive games, turning the tide. Errani and Paolini did not give up and found another break, but it was not enough: Fernandez and Putintseva closed 6-4 and took the match to the super tie-break.

In the deciding match, after a balanced start, the Italians take control and lead 6-3. Despite the opponents’ comeback attempt, Errani and Paolini proved cooler in the key moments: Sara held serve twice in a row and gave away three match points, the second of which was the decisive one.

Statistics reward the Italian pair, superior in points won (72 vs. 61) and, most importantly, with a 67 percent return on second serve compared to 35 percent for their opponents. Now, in the quarters, the Olympic champions will face the winners between Pigato/Grant and Gauff/Eala. The race continues.

Francesco Passaro’s adventure at the Rome Masters 1000 is interrupted in the third round, with a heavy defeat that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. The Perugian tennis player, after a dream start against Karen Khachanov, succumbed sharply under the blows of the number 23 in the seeding, who prevailed with a clean 6-3, 6-0 in just over an hour.

And to say that the beginning of the match portended a different story. Passaro, brilliant and aggressive, got off to a strong start and flew to 3-0 thanks to an immediate break and purposeful tennis. The Foro Italico audience dreamed of a feat. But it is only an illusion: from there on, the match changes face completely.

Khachanov, until that moment foul and contracted, gradually raises his level, especially with his forehand, and begins to dominate the exchange. Passaro, on the other hand, freezes, commits a series of free errors (there will be 14 in the first set alone) and loses rhythm, confidence and lucidity. The Russian thus strung together six consecutive games, ending the first set 6-3.

In the second partial, the script does not change: Khachanov continues to lead, while Passaro finds no more answers. The blue, visibly discouraged, gives way with a heavy 6-0, suffering six more consecutive games and bringing to 12 the total number of games lost in a row.

For Khachanov this is the first qualification to the round of 16 in a Masters 1000 this season. The next obstacle will be the winner of the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Laslo Djere. For Passaro, despite the disappointment, the satisfaction of reaching the third round in such a prestigious tournament remains, but more continuity will be needed to compete at this level.

A Clásico that will go down in history, a hymn to spectacle soccer: Barcelona and Real Madrid give life to a breathtaking 4-3 that, in addition to rewriting the books of statistics, opens the doors of the title wide to the blaugrana. With three days to go, Barça flies to +7 over its rivals, mortgaging a La Liga lived among emotions, comebacks and absolute protagonists.

Hero (partly missed) of the match is undoubtedly Kylian Mbappé, author of a hat-trick that is not enough for the Blancos. The Frenchman scores twice in the first 14 minutes: first on a penalty caused by a Cubarsí mistake, then on an assist from Vinicius, putting Real up 0-2. But Barcelona doesn’t mind and, in 26 screaming minutes, overturns everything.

Eric Garcia shortened by a header in the 19th′, then the blaugrana offensive storm broke out: Yamal found a champion goal in the 32nd minute, followed two minutes later by Raphinha, who took advantage of a carelessness by the Madrid defense to make it 3-2. In the 45th minute, Raphinha again closed out the first half with a personal double on Lucas Vazquez’s mistake: 4-2.

In the second half, Real tried to fight back. Mbappé completed his hat trick in the 70th minute on an assist from Vinicius, but in the final minutes fatigue took over. The Blancos wasted two glaring chances with Victor Munoz and Mbappé himself, while Barça held on. Also of note were two goals cancelled (one on each side) and Cubarsí’s injury.

For Barcelona, it was the fourth win of the season against Real, with as many as 16 goals scored: never happened in the history of the Clásico. And if that wasn’t enough, Ferran Torres ended the match with three assists, a feat achieved so far only by Inaki Williams in La Liga.

A masterpiece of teamwork and determination: Barça sees the finish line. La Liga is now just a step away.