Pick 'em: Are Swiatek and Gauff on a collision course in Rome?

ROME -- World No.1 Iga Swiatek and No.3 Coco Gauff lead Tuesday's quarterfinal action at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia.

Rome 2024: Scores | Schedule | Draws

Swiatek will take on No.16 Madison Keys. The two just faced off two weeks ago in the Madrid semifinals. 

Gauff has a more mysterious task, as she'll face No.7 and Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen for the first time.  

Here's a breakdown of Tuesday's matches, and don't forget, sign up for free and submit your predictions now. 

[1] Iga Swiatek vs. [18] Madison Keys

Head-to-head: Swiatek leads 3-1

Swiatek is riding another one of those win streaks -- that's nine straight if you're counting at home -- and marching toward yet another statistical milestone: becoming the third woman to win Madrid and Rome back-to-back. It hasn't always been perfect tennis from Swiatek, who was down 4-1 to Yulia Putintseva and was played tough by Angelique Kerber, but it hasn't needed to be. She hasn't lost a set in her three matches.

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There are no secrets between Keys and Swiatek. As the American prepares for her second meeting with Swiatek in as many weeks -- Swiatek dropped four games to her in the Madrid semifinals -- Keys knows she has her work cut out for her in Rome.

Asked if she would rather play Swiatek or Angelique Kerber in the quartefinals, Keys didn't miss a beat.

"I think we know the answer to that," she deadpanned. The reporters huddled around her could only laugh. 

"It's like having to play Kiki Bertens on clay, which is just a nightmare," Keys told reporters after her straight-sets win over Sorana Cirstea. "They time their sliding so well and honestly, like no other player I've really played on clay. It's just a tough situation because you feel like you can't really wrong-foot her. That's the biggest thing. And then obviously it takes away from some of my attributes." 

"That's the biggest difference versus ... playing her in Cincinnati at two in the afternoon on a bouncy fast court? Sounds like a good time to me."

Keys was of course referencing her 6-3, 6-4 win over Swiatek two years ago on the American hard courts. But the biggest boost for her has been her consistent form through the clay season. After making her first semifinal in Madrid, she's backed it up well to shore up her dark-horse chances in Paris, where she was semifinalist in 2018.

Memories can be short in this sport, but Keys was quick to remind everyone that she's a proven commodity on clay. She made the final in Rome in 2016.

"I think honestly, the bigger surprise is that I played well in Madrid," she said, laughing. "Coming here, I knew what to expect, I know I can swing out. And when it's warm and sunny it plays pretty lively anyway. I just knew what to expect and felt really comfortable."

"It's not a new thing as of this year, I just guess I'm buying into it."

[3] Coco Gauff vs. [7] Zheng Qinwen

Head-to-head: First meeting

In the only quarter of the draw that saw the seeds hold up, it will be a first tour-level showdown between two of the game's preeminent young stars, as Gauff, 20, takes on Zheng, 21. Both women come into Tuesday's match off the back of big wins. 

Gauff earned her second win in five tries over a resurgent Paula Badosa, coming from a break down to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-1. The US Open champion's serve remains a work in progress -- she served at just 38 percent and struck 11 double faults -- but she remains gritty and dangerous off the ground. She generated 16 break points on the Spaniard's serve and broke seven times. 

"For me, returns were something I was working on a lot because my return-made percentage honestly used to be really, really bad like a couple years ago," Gauff said. "I'd be curious to look at those stats. I would be missing a lot of returns. It's something I worked on.

"Now to see that number improve, I don't think about leading the tour [in Return Games Won] in the match obviously, but there is a sense of confidence I have in that. That's why it makes me optimistic about other parts of my game. It's not the first time I've been in a tough spot stats-wise in an area."

Zheng enjoyed a more routine day of work, earning her first win over former No.1 Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4 to make her second consecutive Rome quarterfinal. After struggling with her focus and hunger after making the Australian Open final in January, Zheng admitted that facing the sport's icons has helped her lock in and find her best tennis. 

That energy was certainly on display in her dominant and disciplined performance against Osaka. She'll have no problem getting up for her first meeting against Gauff either. They played each other once in juniors, with Gauff winning 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in the final of the 2018 Orange Bowl. 

"I think when you are in quarterfinal, every player is hungry," Zheng said. "Especially me, I'm really excited to play my next match again.

"Doesn't matter who I play against, I'm just going to show my everything, give my best, treat them like the best player I'm going to face in front. Just enjoy my tennis."