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The third day of the main draw action on the women's singles side at the 2025 Italian Open promises to be a cracker. Some of the lesser marquee matches on the Day 3 line-up include 13th-seeded Diana Shnaider's opener against USA's Caroline Dolehide, and Elise Mertens and Suzan Lamens' first-ever clash on the WTA Tour.
Without further ado, let's take a look at how these matches at the Italian Open on Day 3, Thursday (May 8), will likely pan out:
#1 Diana Shnaider vs Caroline Dolehide
World No. 11 Diana Shnaider has endured a tough campaign on the women's pro circuit since winning her fourth career title in Hong Kong earlier this year. The Russian, who received a first-round bye at the Italian Open this week, will be eager to match her career-best result of reaching the third round at Foro Italico when she faces the 73rd-ranked Caroline Dolehide on Day 3.
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Dolehide, meanwhile, reached the second round of the 1000-level event in Rome in hard-fought fashion on Wednesday (May 7), beating lucky loser Olivia Gadecki 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-2 in two hours and 43 minutes. The 26-year-old will be eager to look to win back-to-back matches on the WTA Tour for the first time since her third-round result in Indian Wells.
Pick: Diana Shnaider to win in straight sets.
#2 Yulia Putintseva (2020 Italian Open quarterfinalist) vs Jacqueline Cristian
World No. 29 Yulia Putintseva has lost seven of her nine tour-level matches since reaching the third round of the 2025 Australian Open in January. Having received a first-round bye in Rome, the Kazakh veteran will be hopeful of emulating her 2020 run at Foro Italico, where she made her career's first WTA 1000 quarterfinals.
Cristian, meanwhile, struggled with a wrist injury earlier in 2025 but that didn't deter her from picking up the 125-level title in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico last month. The World No. 74 got off her Italian Open campaign to a good start this week, beating the big-serving Alycia Parks 6-2, 6-0 to reach the second round of the 1000-level event.
Although Putintseva leads Cristian 1-0 in their head-to-head meetings, the two players have never met on clay. Since the Romanian is currently the more in-form player on the surface, she is the favorite to take this match-up.
Pick: Cristian to win in three sets.
#3 Elise Mertens (2020 Italian Open quarterfinalist) vs Suzan Lamens
World No. 24 Elise Mertens also reached the last eight at the Italian Open in 2020. The Belgian has since reached the fourth round and the second round of the tournament in 2023-24 and will be keen on a deeper run at Foro Italico this year. Having received a first-round bye, the 29-year-old will face the Netherlands' Suzan Lamens on Day 3.
Lamens, who exited in the first round of the Madrid Open to Emma Raducanu, arrives in Rome as one of the most dangerous floaters in the women's singles draw. The World No. 74 dispatched Mexico's Renata Zarazua 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 to reach the second round of the Italian Open on Tuesday (May 6). Playing at Foro Italico for the first time in her career, the Dutchwoman will be eager to make her mark against the much more experienced Mertens.
Pick: Suzan Lamens to win in three sets.
