First-round action continued on a rainy Tuesday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Our Jimmie48 was photographing most of the matches, as well as practice sessions of players still awaiting to start their campaign in Rome.
![Kristina Mladenovic of France](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kristina_Mladenovic_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1318_original.jpg)
Lucky loser Kristina Mladenovic knocked out tenth seed Belinda Bencic 6-3 6-4 and avenged her recent loss to the Swiss in the first round of the Mutua Madrid Open.
![Kristina Mladenovic of France](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kristina_Mladenovic_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1317_original.jpg)
I love these flying plait photos.
![](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kristina_Mladenovic_Belinda_Bencic_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1332_original.jpg)
The world No.53 Mladenovic looked stunning in the black version of the Prime Blue Dope Dye Jumpsuit and the Match Skirt from Adidas’ eco-friendly collection dominated by iridescent tones.
![Nadia Podoroska of Argentina](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Nadia_Podoroska_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_0973_original.jpg)
Coming back from a hip injury, Roland Garros semifinalist Nadia Podoroska overcame lucky loser Laura Siegemund 2-6 7-6(3) 6-1 to book a second-round meeting with Serena Williams.
![Laura Siegemund of Germany](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Laura_Siegemund_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1117_original.jpg)
Madison Keys beat fellow American Sloane Stephens 4-6 6-2 7-5 in a topsy-turvy encounter decided predominantly by unforced errors.
![Sloane Stephens & Madison Keys of the United States](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Sloane_Stephens_Madison_Keys_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1550_original.jpg)
The 2016 Rome finalist Keys lost the first set despite an initial 3-0 lead. In the second set, she stopped Stephens from recovering again and then fought back from a 2-0 deficit in the decider to move into the second round.
![Sloane Stephens of the United States](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Sloane_Stephens_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1466_original.jpg)
There were moments when Stephens was on her knees.
![Sloane Stephens of the United States](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Sloane_Stephens_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_0553_original.jpg)
Both Keys and Stephens sported the Nike Summer Victory Polo Dress this Tuesday in Rome.
![Garbine Muguruza of Spain](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Garbine_Muguruza_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_2084_original.jpg)
Seed No.12 Garbine Muguruza needed 66 minutes to dispatch Patricia Maria Tig, who entered the draw when Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova withdrew from singles with an abdominal injury.
![Veronika Kudermetova of Russia](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Veronika_Kudermetova_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1842_original.jpg)
In an encounter featuring two of the best-performing singles players of the 2021 season so far, Veronika Kudermetova came back from a set down to eliminate new doubles world No.1 Elise Mertens with whom she won the Istanbul doubles title last month.
![Elise Mertens of Belgium](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elise_Mertens_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1827_original.jpg)
Kudermetova’s +9 winners-to-unforced-errors differential was far better than Mertens’ -9, which included nine double faults.
![Caroline Garcia of France](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Caroline_Garcia_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1686_original.jpg)
Caroline Garcia, who’s recently made a major career decision to stop working with her father as coach, progressed past Elisabetta Cocciaretto 7-6(8) 6-2.
![Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elisabetta_Cocciaretto_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-Z66_8133_original.jpg)
The brand behind Cocciaretto’s tennis dress is Australian by l’Alpina. Their logo is a kangaroo.
![Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elisabetta_Cocciaretto_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1584_original.jpg)
After a rain delay, Angelique Kerber, Jelena Ostapenko and Ajla Tomljanovic wrapped up the first-round action as winners. Their victims were Alize Cornet, Johanna Konta and Marketa Vondrousova, in that order.
![Angelique Kerber of Germany](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Angelique_Kerber_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_2183_original.jpg)
![Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Jelena_Ostapenko_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_2429_original.jpg)
![Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Ajla_Tomljanovic_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_2001_original.jpg)
Petra Kvitova spotted our Jimmie48 from afar and waved with a smile showing through her mask.
![IPetra Kvitova of the Czech Republic](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Petra_Kvitova_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1500_original.jpg)
Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty is getting ready for her Wednesday morning opener against Yaroslava Shvedova.
![Ashleigh Barty of Australia](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Ashleigh_Barty_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1391_original.jpg)
Karolina Pliskova also kicks off her Rome campaign tomorrow, as she enjoyed a first-round bye.
![Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Karolina_Pliskova_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1350_original.jpg)
The Czech former world No.1 is accompanied by husband Michal Hrdlicka and coach Sascha Bajin.
![](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Michal_Hrdlicka_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1374_original.jpg)
Simona Halep, Elina Svitolina and Iga Swiatek were also spotted practicing on Tuesday.
![Simona Halep of Romania](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Simona_Halep_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_1722_original.jpg)
![](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Iga_Swiatek_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_0878_original.jpg)
![](https://womenstennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elina_Svitolina_-_2021_Internazionali_BNL_d_Italia_Day_2_-DSC_0894_original.jpg)
Keep checking back to Women’s Tennis Blog as we continue to bring you exclusive photos from the 2021 Internazionali BNL d’Italia.