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Cape Town - Kevin Anderson has bowed out of the Italian Open after he was forced to retire in his match against Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia.
The big-serving South African had lost the first set 6-4 and it is thought a thigh injury caused him to forfeit the match.
Anderson reached a new career-high world ranking of No 7 on Monday - following an impressive performance at last week’s Madrid Masters.
He made history in the Spanish capital when he reached the semi-final stage of a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time and was hoping to continue his good form at the Italian Open.
In other matches, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Kei Nishikori moved into the next round of the tournament.
Results from the ATP and WTA Masters tournament in Rome on Wednesday (x denotes seeded player):
Women
Second round
Simona Halep (ROM x1) bt Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6-1, 6-0
Madison Keys (USA x13) bt Donna Vekic (CRO) 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/0)
Sloane Stephens (USA x9) bt Kaia Kanepi (EST) 6-0, 5-7, 6-4
Caroline Garcia (FRA x7) bt Timea Babos (HUN) 6-3, 6-4
Maria Sharapova (RUS) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Johanna Konta (GBR) bt Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) 6-0, 6-4
Maria Sakkari (GRE) bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x6) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
Angelique Kerber (GER x11) bt Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) 3-6, 7-5, 7-5
Daria Kasatkina (RUS x14) bt Danielle Collins (USA) 6-2, 6-3
Venus Williams (USA x8) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Anett Kontaveit (EST) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 7-5, 7-5
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT x15) bt Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) 6-4, 6-4
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x2) bt Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 6-1, 6-4
Daria Gavrilova (AUS) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP x3) 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6)
Men
Second round
Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 6-0
Denis Shapovalov (CAN) bt Robin Haase (NED) 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (5/7), 6-3
Fabio Fognini (ITA) bt Dominic Thiem (AUT x6) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
Kei Nishikori (JPN) bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x3) 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-4
Novak Djokovic (SRB x11) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 6-4, 6-2
Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) bt John Isner (USA x8) 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5)
Aljaz Bedene (SLO) bt Kevin Anderson (RSA x7) 6-4, 0-0 - retired
Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x10) bt Steve Johnson (USA) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
Benoit Paire (FRA) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG x14) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Marin Cilic (CRO x4) bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 7-6 (7/1)
Juan Martin del Potro (ARG x5) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 7-5, 6-3
Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt Lucas Pouille (FRA x16) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)
Alexander Zverev (GER x2) bt Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 7-5, 6-2
