China's resilient aces weather the storm

Zheng Qinwen, Wang Xiyu triumph in Rome rain to set up fourth-round clash

Not the weather, not their opponents and certainly not their least-favorite surface.

Nothing could apparently slow down Chinese duo Zheng Qinwen and Wang Xiyu at the Italian Open over the weekend as they overcame plenty of challenges to set up a highly anticipated all-Chinese round-of-16 battle on Monday.

Both women played amid sporadic rain in Rome which made the clay courts slippery and slowed the flight of the balls. Zheng defeated Hungary's Anna Bondar in straight sets on Saturday after Wang saved a match point to upend American ace Taylor Townsend in three sets.