Vicky Jiménez Kasintseva Misses Rome Masters Main Draw After Qualifying Final Loss to Taylor Townsend

Andorran tennis player Vicky Jiménez Kasintseva missed out on the main draw of the Rome Masters 1,000 after a 6-2, 6-3 defeat to American Taylor Townsend in the qualifying final.

The world No. 111 lasted just over 80 minutes against the No. 96-ranked Townsend, the 10th seed in qualifying. Townsend controlled the match from the outset, breaking in the fourth game of the first set and maintaining pressure with strong serving. Jiménez improved in the second set but could not capitalize on key moments, allowing Townsend to secure victory and advance.

Jiménez had reached the final by beating New Zealand's Nunu Sun—also known as Lulu Sun and ranked No. 107—6-4, 7-6(2) in a testing 1-hour-40-minute encounter. She held firm in the opener, avoiding breaks until converting her first chance at 4-4. Sun took a 4-1 lead in the second with two breaks amid physical strain on Jiménez, but the Andorran rallied to 5-4 before a response break forced a tie-break. There, Jiménez surged to 4-1 with aggressive returns and serving before closing 7-2, ending a five-match losing streak in opening rounds.

The result followed a first-round exit at the Mutua Madrid Open and marked Jiménez's second clay-court loss this swing. Townsend had earlier defeated Rebecca Sramkova in the semi-final. (Note: Reports varied on the Sun scoreline, with some citing 6-2, 7-6, but match accounts confirm 6-4, 7-6(2).)