Iga Swiatek Secures Third Italian Open Title with Victory Over Aryna Sabalenka
In a compelling display of prowess on clay, Poland’s Iga Swiatek triumphed over Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka to clinch her third Italian Open title on Saturday. Swiatek’s 6-2, 6-3 victory not only reinforced her position as world No. 1 but also marked her as the third player in history to win both the Madrid and Rome titles in the same season, following in the footsteps of Russia’s Dinara Safina in 2009 and American Serena Williams in 2013.
The match, which concluded in under 90 minutes, showcased Swiatek’s exceptional form ahead of the upcoming French Open, where she has previously secured three of her four Grand Slam titles. With this win, she elevates her career title count to 21. Swiatek also improved her head-to-head record against world No. 2 Sabalenka to 8-3, having conceded only one clay-court loss to her rival in Madrid last year.
“I kind of knew that if I was going to work hard and stay in the right mindset, this was achievable,” Swiatek reflected post-match. “I’m happy I was so focused and disciplined throughout the tournament to do that.”
Swiatek established dominance early in the match, breaking Sabalenka’s serve at love to lead 2-1 and again in the seventh game of the first set. Sabalenka’s struggle with 12 unforced errors in the opener undermined her efforts in her first Rome final.
The second set saw Sabalenka mounting a spirited challenge, forcing five break points and hitting 11 winners in the initial two games. However, Swiatek’s resilience, underscored by her leading statistics in saving break points this year, enabled her to level at 1-1 despite the pressure. Sabalenka was unable to break Swiatek’s serve again, ultimately sending a return into the net to conclude the match.
“After Madrid, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Swiatek commented, referring to the marathon final they contested two weeks prior. “I’m really happy that I was able to play consistently during the clay season.”
In a gracious post-match address, Sabalenka congratulated her opponent: “Congrats on an incredible two weeks in Rome. I hope we make it to the final at Roland Garros, and I’m going to do better than today.”
As the tennis world turns its attention to Paris, both athletes are poised to continue their rivalry at the French Open, promising an exciting continuation of their clay-court journey and captivating fans worldwide.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
