Lucia Bronzetti rallied to defeat Deborah Chiesa 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the WTA 125K Rome, overcoming a sluggish start with aggressive returning. After dropping the opening set, Bronzetti won 12 of the final 17 games, converting four break points while saving four of her own across the match.
Chiesa raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set with breaks at 2-1 and 4-1, but Bronzetti turned the second set around immediately. She broke back at 1-1 after Chiesa broke first, then added further breaks at 1-3 and 1-5 to take it 6-3. In the decider, Bronzetti broke at 0-1 and 0-3, Chiesa briefly replied at 1-3, but Bronzetti sealed the win with a final break at 2-5.
Bronzetti's return game proved decisive: she won 62% of points on Chiesa's second serve (22/35) compared to 44% for her opponent on second-serve returns. The Italian also saved 50% of break points faced, while Chiesa saved 69% but could not sustain her first-set form as Bronzetti took charge from the baseline.