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American Danielle Collins completed a comprehensive straight-set victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek in the third round of the Italian Open.

Collins capitalised on a poor serving display from world number two Swiatek to cruise to the opening set before battling back from a break down in the second to clinch a 6-1 7-5 victory.

It was just her second win in nine matches against the five-time Grand Slam champion and first on clay – the 23-year-old Pole’s preferred surface.

Collins, 31, will face Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the fourth round, while Swiatek must now regroup before the French Open, which begins on 25 May.

The five-time Grand Slam champion had won the Italian Open in three of the past four seasons but struggled for her best form in the run-up to this year’s event in Rome.

Swiatek has not won a WTA tournament since claiming her fourth French Open women’s singles title in five years at Roland Garros 12 months ago.

She started poorly, serving double faults when facing break point in her first two service games, and lost her third to love as 29th seed Collins raced into a 5-0 lead.

Swiatek finally got on the board in the sixth game, but was promptly broken for a fourth time to lose the opening set in just 24 minutes.

She broke Collins in the opening game of the second set, but was again unable to cement the break.

Collins battled hard to keep on level terms for the remainder of the second set before pouncing in the 12th game, claiming a sixth break of serve in the match to seal victory with her second match point as Swiatek flashed a backhand wide.

Collins’ next opponent, 16th seed Svitolina, came through a three-set battle with 23-year-old American Hailey Baptiste, beating the world number 90 6-4 3-6 6-4.

Elsewhere, Italian number one Jasmine Paolini – the sixth seed – got past an out-of-sorts Ons Jabeur 6-4 6-3 to seal a place in the last 16, where she will meet 17th seed Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia.

Australian Open champion Madison Keys is out as the fifth seed was downed by fellow American Peyton Stearns in three sets. Stearns will play either Marie Bouzkova or Naomi Osaka next.

Carlo Ancelotti has called Xabi Alonso “one of the best in the world” amid rumours the Spaniard will replace him as Real Madrid manager.

On Friday, Bayer Leverkusen head coach Alonso said he would be leaving the German club at the end of this season.

Alonso is set to be announced as the new Real Madrid boss once Ancelotti’s departure is officially confirmed.

Speaking before Madrid’s El Clasico La Liga fixture against rivals Barcelona on Sunday, Ancelotti said Alonso “has done an incredible job and he has the doors open to him because he has shown he is one of the best in the world”.

But the 65-year-old, who is rumoured to be the next Brazil manager, refused to directly answer any questions about own his managerial future.

“With this club, the honeymoon doesn’t end,” said Ancelotti. “The honeymoon with Madrid will last until the last day of my life.”

Carlo Ancelotti has won 15 trophies across two spells as Real Madrid manager and last season led Los Blancos to a Champions League-La Liga double.

But this campaign Real trail Barcelona by four points in the league with four matches remaining, and could end up without a trophy for the first time in four seasons.

Last year, Alonso led Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title, without losing a game, and the German Cup in his first full season as a senior club manager.

United Rugby Championship

Bulls (31) 45

Tries: Vorster, W Louw, Moodie, Hanekom, De Klerk 2 Cons: Goosen, Johannes 5 Pen: Goosen

Cardiff (0) 21

Play-off chasing Cardiff were left empty-handed as a late comeback fell short against the Bulls.

The hosts crossed for six tries in a desperately one-sided contest at Loftus Versfeld until the final 10 minutes.

What Cardiff’s defence coach Gethin Jenkins made of his team’s scatterbrain resistance can only be imagined when they trailed 45-7 after 52 minutes.

Cardiff knew their best hope of claiming the single point that could be enough to secure a top-eight finish would be from scoring tries.

But they fell agonisingly short of a bonus point despite second-half tries from Alex Mann, Teddy Williams and Gabriel Hamer-Webb.

No team has made more tackles in the league this season than Cardiff and that position rarely looked under threat as Bulls dominated from the start.

The hosts romped into a 31-0 lead with a combination of far more than just typical South African brute force.

Willie le Roux, among three returning Springboks, and Canan Moodie revelled with so much possession and the acres of space they were allowed by Cardiff.

Moodie set up the first try for Harold Vorster before galloping clear from 40m out off Le Roux’s perfectly timed pass.

Le Roux twice set up Sebastian de Klerk for easy scores. The first from Johan Mulder’s wayward kick before leaving Harri Millard ball-watching for the wing’s second.

Trailing 45-7, the arrival of Taulupe Faletau and Williams off the bench galvanised a late Cardiff rally.

Mann combined with Williams for a second try and Hamer-Webb got his fifth in three games in the last eight minutes.

Cardiff captain Josh McNally said: “Our game just didn’t come together. We showed in the last 20 minutes what we could’ve done but we didn’t fire any shots in the first half.

“When you give a quality side like the Bulls so much possession and momentum then it’s going to be hard to come back.

Bulls: Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk; Johan Goosen, Zak Burger, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johann Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden, Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortje (capt), Cameron Hanekom

Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Marco van Staden, Keagan Johannes, Devon Williams, Stedman Gans.

Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Josh Adams, Harri Millard, Ben Thomas, Gabriel Hamer-Webb; Tinus de Beer, Johan Mulder; Corey Domachowski, Evan Lloyd, Keiron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Rory Thornton, Alex Mann, James Botham, Alun Lawrence.

Replacements: Liam Belcher, Danny Southworth, Rhys Litterick, Teddy Williams, Dan Thomas, Taulupe Faletau, Aled Davies, Rory Jennings.

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Griffin Colby (SARU), Dylen November (SARU)

Four goals scored, three points earned, second place secured, one huge game left for Arsenal this season.

Renee Slegers’ side ensured they will go into their Champions League final against Barcelona on 24 May on the back of a victory, following a topsy-turvy 4-3 win over Manchester United on Saturday lunchtime.

There are reasons to be cheerful for the Gunners, who produced a display of real attacking verve at times against United, scoring three goals in 16 minutes after half-time while having 16 shots in total.

Even against the formidable reigning European champions Barca, who could seal another Liga F domestic title this weekend, Arsenal should be able to pose attacking questions.

Alessia Russo is the joint-winner of the Women’s Super League (WSL) Golden Boot with 12 goals, while Arsenal have won their past eight home league matches while scoring four or more goals every time.

But the concerns for Arsenal lie in defence, with 12 goals conceded in their past three WSL matches. Five shipped against Aston Villa, four in defeat by Brighton, then three to almost allow Manchester United back into the game.

The manner of the three United goals will cause concern too. Ella Toone was unmarked to head home and make it 1-1 after 13 minutes.

Then in the second half, with Arsenal seemingly safe three goals to the good, Katie McCabe’s dreadful pass square across the back four allowed Elisabeth Terland to score before the Irish defender fouled Celin Bizet to concede a penalty, converted by Maya le Tissier.

“Arsenal opened the door for Man Utd and that door should’ve been nailed shut at 4-1,” former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis told BBC Two. “They know that anything remotely like this against Barcelona and they will be punished.

Slegers will have to solve the problem of a defence which has not kept a clean sheet in all competitions since March, against a Barcelona side which has scored 113 goals in 28 league games.

In Europe, Barca have been just as deadly with a remarkable 18 goals in four Champions League knockout ties. After netting 10 over two legs versus Wolfsburg, they put eight past runaway WSL champions Chelsea and could have had more.

Slegers has to find a way to cut out the defensive errors and loss of concentration which allowed United back into the match on Saturday. She also has to find a solution to the goalkeeper situation.

First choice Daphne van Domselaar has not played since the second leg against Lyon, which she featured in after a spell out with an ankle problem.

Her understudy Manuela Zinsberger has not convinced in the Dutchwoman’s absence, and Slegers will surely hope her first choice is available for the final.

What is certain is that Slegers will try to tighten up her back line while maintaining the attacking verve which has become Arsenal’s trademark since she replaced Jonas Eidevall as manager earlier this season.

As well as Russo finding her shooting boots under Slegers – 12 goals in 20 appearances – winger Chloe Kelly has a new lease of life since joining on loan in January, while attacking midfielder Mariona Caldentey must rank as one of the signings of the season as she prepares to face former club Barca.

“I felt like Arsenal let Man Utd back in the game towards the end of the first half, but the second half is what we’ve come to expect with the high press and finishing,” former Gunners player Fara Williams told BBC Two.

“Then the lapse of concentration is something they can’t afford to do in the Champions League final in a few weeks’ time.

The Arsenal players gave no indication of wanting to give up on their attacking outlook for the final.

“We showed in the final third today we were great,” Kelly told the BBC. “We’ve got a lot of training in our legs to get through to be ready for the final.”

Arsenal captain Kim Little added: “The most important thing is to communicate and make sure you’re fluid. When we do that well, we’re at our best.

“That is part of our game – we are one of the teams that are in the press the most. Against Barcelona, they are one of the best teams in the world so we’ll have to take that into consideration.”

Manchester United meanwhile are preparing for a major final of their own, as they defend the FA Cup against Chelsea at Wembley next weekend.

Marc Skinner’s side are winless in four, with two draws plus defeats by the Blues and Arsenal – the two sides above them in the WSL – to round out an uneven league campaign.

“The WSL is done now. The FA Cup final is a different game,” Skinner told the BBC. “We had to chase the game, we had to win it if we were going to finish second.

“We’ll have a plan against Chelsea. I just think it’ll be a completely different game.”

“We know what it takes to play in the FA Cup – we’ve got all week to prepare ourselves,” added Toone. “It’s a final so anything can happen.”

Both Arsenal and United will start as underdogs in their respective finals. If they can bring the same attacking prowess they showed on Saturday, they could both cause an upset.