reached the Round-of-16 at the on Sunday after battling back from a set down to beat Sofia Kenin 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The Belarusian World No.1 has a great opportunity to claim her first Rome title after three-time winner Iga Swiatek was dumped out by Danielle Collins on Saturday.
Despite her status as the hot favourite in Italy, Sabalenka began the game poorly, consistently misplacing her backhands before appearing to complain about the surface.
However, she eventually turned the match around, breaking Kenin at the seventh time of asking in the second game of the third set.
Late on Saturday, men’s World No.1 Jannik Sinner returned to action from his three-month doping ban and promptly swept aside compatriot Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4.