This time, Swiatek only left Sabalenka with crumbs. The world number 1 won the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome for the third time by beating her runner-up in the WTA rankings 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday. Eight days before Roland-Garros (May 26-June 9), which she will approach as the big favorite, Swiatek, 22, won the 21st title of her career, her fourth this year after Doha, Indian Wells and Madrid. The Pole is the first player since the American Serena Williams in 2013 to achieve the Madrid-Rome clay court double in the same year.
She signed against her great Belarusian rival her eighth victory in eleven confrontations, the third in a row. If their previous duel, in the final in Madrid, had been undecided until the end with three match points in favor of Sabalenka who finally lost 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), their Roman confrontation never reached the same intensity. The Pole, who has not lost a single set this year at the Foro Italico, took the advantage in the third game by taking her opponent’s serve.
28 unforced errors for Sabalenka
Visibly frustrated by her numerous unforced errors and put under pressure by Swiatek, very aggressive in returning service, Sabalenka, 26, once again lost her face-off to be led 5-2. After a one-sided first set lost in 36 minutes, Sabalenka rebelled and offered herself seven break points in the second and fourth games, without however realizing them. Swiatek, for the first time in this difficult final, turned his back, then broke his opponent for the third time to give himself a decisive advantage.