Poland's Iga Swiatek emerged victorious against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka to secure her third Italian Open title on Saturday. This impressive win makes Swiatek the third player in history to claim both the Madrid and Rome titles in the same season, joining the ranks of Dinara Safina in 2009 and Serena Williams in 2013.
Swiatek dominated the match, finishing in under 90 minutes with a score of 6-2, 6-3. This triumph elevates her career title count to 21 and strengthens her position as the world No.1. Her consistent performance keeps her in excellent form ahead of the upcoming French Open, where she has already claimed three of her four Grand Slam titles.
The match showcased Swiatek's strategic prowess on clay. She broke Sabalenka’s serve early and maintained her lead throughout, capitalizing on Sabalenka's 12 unforced errors. Swiatek's ability to save break points, a skill highlighted during her marathon Madrid final against Sabalenka two weeks prior, proved decisive in securing her victory.
In her post-match interview, Swiatek expressed satisfaction with her focus and discipline: \"I kind of knew that if I'm going to work hard and if I'm going to be in the right mindset, this is achievable. I'm happy I was so focused and disciplined throughout the tournament to do that.\"
Sabalenka showed resilience by pushing Swiatek to five break points in the second set and delivering 11 winners in the first two games. However, she couldn't maintain the momentum, ultimately conceding to Swiatek's superior performance on clay.
Looking ahead, Sabalenka remains determined to challenge Swiatek at Roland Garros, stating, \"I hope we make it to the final at Roland Garros and I'm going to beat you there! Just kidding, but I want to do better than today.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
