Four players, two spots: Who will take control in Tuesday’s Rome quarterfinals?

Tuesday’s two quarterfinals from the bottom half of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia feature potential fireworks from four smoking-hot players:

• Elina Svitolina, who has won more matches on clay than any woman this year.
• Peyton Stearns, the first player in the Open Era to win back-to-back third-set tiebreaks in Rome.
• Jasmine Paolini, the first Italian woman to reach the quarters here in more than a decade.
• Diana Shnaider, who has dropped the fewest games thus far.

We make a case for each:

No. 6 Jasmine Paolini vs. No. 13 Diana Shnaider

Head-to-head: Paolini, 1-0, by a 6-3, 6-4 count in the first round of last year’s Australian Open.

The case for Paolini: Italians love their tennis and that translates to enormous pressure on the local favorites. But the 29-year-old Paolini has managed those expectations beautifully. The last Italian woman to reach the quarterfinals in Rome was Paolini’s doubles partner Sara Errani in 2014.

Paolini’s been terrific in the big moments. Jelena Ostapenko had two break-point opportunities for a 5-2 lead in the first set and Paolini came back to win the match 7-5, 6-2. It was her third win this year against a former major champion.

Paolini is channeling the energy that has this city buzzing over the election of a new Pope and the return of Jannik Sinner.

“The atmosphere was really, really, really great,” Paolini said of her match against Ostapenko. “We really enjoy being in this era of the Italian tennis. We are like a team. Everybody is pushing each other. It's great to have also Lorenzo Musetti, top 10. Matteo [Berrettini] is there. It's great to have many matches of Italian players.”

Last year, she found a major groove, reaching the finals at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. This year she started earlier, getting to the semifinals in Miami before losing to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

The case for Shnaider: No one has played with more efficiency here than Shnaider, who dropped only 11 games in three matches.

Shnaider 6-2, 6-3 defeat of No. 25 Elise Mertens was typical of her recent form. Shnaider converted half of her six break-point opportunities -- and saved all five against her.

It’s easy to overlook the fact that, after 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, Shnaider is the youngest player in the PIF WTA Ranking’s Top 25. She turned 21 in early April and has made a habit of taking out more decorated, more experienced players.

Shnaider came into Rome with a 11-11 overall record and was 4-3 in three tournaments on clay. A win against Paolini would deliver her into a first semifinal since last fall in Hong Kong.

No. 16 Elina Svitolina vs. Peyton Stearns

Head-to-head: 0-0.

The case for Svitolina: On Monday she was a 6-4, 6-2 winner over No. 29 Danielle Collins -- the player who sent home World No. 2 Iga Swiatek in straight sets.

Here’s what the 30-year-old mother has done on the dirt: 

• Went 2-0 in Billie Jean King Cup qualifying against Switzerland and Poland.
• Won the title in Rouen, France.
• Reached the semifinals in Madrid, losing to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka.
• Is 3-0 in Rome, dropping only one set in the process.

Svitolina became the fourth woman to reach the quarterfinals in Madrid and Rome in the same season after turning 30, along with Serena Williams, Li Na and Maria Sharapova.

The case for Stearns: She’s been historically clutch at the end of matches here, defeating Grand Slam champions Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka in back-to-back third-set tiebreaks. 

The Osaka match ran 2 hours and 41 minutes, and Stearns was struggling at the end. What was her focus? “Trying not to throw up in the middle of the court,” she said in her on-court interview.

The key for Stearns will be recovery -- and keeping her red-hot forehand going.

“Going into matches like this, if you don’t hit the ball, you’re not going to win,” she told reporters. “I think mentally I was like, `You have to get every ball. If you miss, you miss, but you have to go for it.’”

She stroked 32 winners, six more than the big-hitting Osaka. 

Stearns has been working with coach Blaz Kavcic since Madrid, where she also reached the Round of 16.