The clay courts at WTA Rome continue to deliver drama as we head into the third round on day six. Players are adjusting to the slower, high-bouncing surface, and every match carries extra weight with Roland Garros just around the corner. As always, we here at LWOT are offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Naomi Osaka vs Diana Shnaider. But who will reach the fourth round at the Foro Italico?
WTA Rome Day 6 Predictions
Liudmila Samsonova vs Anastasia Potapova
Head-to-head: Potapova 2-1 Samsonova
Anastasia Potapova has been in serious form during this clay swing, going from lucky loser to semifinalist in Madrid — a run that included a victory over Rybakina. She then came to Rome and beat Muchova, who had been one of the most dominant players on tour this season.
Liudmila Samsonova won her first-round match at WTA Rome against Ann Li straightforwardly enough, but she has had a tough time of it this season with just two wins from her last nine matches heading into the clay swing. Their previous clay meeting went to Potapova, and the momentum gap between the two right now is hard to ignore. Potapova’s aggression and confidence are at a season high, and she should be able to convert that into another result here.
Prediction: Potapova in 3
Madison Keys vs Nikola Bartunkova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Madison Keys has shown she can compete on clay this season, including a semifinal run earlier and a gritty comeback win in her second-round match here. Her heavy ball-striking and improved movement let her open up the court when she finds rhythm. Nikola Bartunkova arrives with good lower-level clay success and fights hard from the baseline, but stepping up against a powerful opponent in a best-of-three on this surface is a big ask. Keys’ experience at this level and recent wins on dirt give her the tools to pull ahead as the match goes on.
Prediction: Keys in 2
Laura Siegemund vs Karolina Pliskova
Head-to-head: Pliskova 1-1 Siegemund
Karolina Pliskova has been in fine touch on clay this season with a 6-2 record on the surface in 2026, and she is making her way back from an extended injury absence with real purpose. She reached the quarterfinals in Madrid after picking up convincing wins along the way, which showed she has the big game to compete at this level again and has looked sharp once against at WTA Rome.
Laura Siegemund beat Ekaterina Alexandrova in three sets here, showing her trademark fighting qualities and tactical intelligence. The head-to-head is perfectly balanced, but Pliskova’s serve gives her a built-in advantage on a surface where free points matter. Her flat ball-striking can be awkward to deal with on clay, and her form this spring makes her the pick to edge this one.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Alexandra Eala vs Elena Rybakina
Head-to-head: first meeting
This is the first time these two players have met at WTA Tour level, and it is as difficult a draw as Alexandra Eala could have received at this stage. Elena Rybakina, a former champion here and one of the game’s cleanest ball-strikers, brings elite power and serve. She moves well enough on clay and has the weapons to end points quickly when in form. She dispatched Sakkari in 75 minutes in the previous round.
Eala, the young Filipina talent, has already made headlines with two solid wins on clay at WTA Rome, a surface that has challenged her in the past. Her confidence is growing, and she’s showing she can grind and hit winners. However, Rybakina’s serve, flat groundstrokes, and sheer pedigree at this level make her an extremely tough proposition. Eala may make it competitive, but Rybakina’s record on clay and current form are too strong to bet against.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports