Top-seeded Iga Swiatek storms past Aryna Sabalenka to win Internazionali BNL d'Italia title

ROME: Top-seeded Iga Swiatek defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday to win the Internazionali BNL d'Italia title.

Swiatek needed 1 hour and 29 minutes to beat Sabalenka for the eighth time in their 11 meetings. Swiatek has triumphed in Rome in three of the last four years, also taking the WTA 1000 title in 2021 and 2022.

Swiatek has now won her last nine singles finals. The last time the Polish player lost in a final was to Sabalenka at Madrid last year -- which is also the only time Sabalenka has defeated Swiatek in the five times they've met in finals (all of those on clay).

In final, strong depth on return gave Swiatek an early lead, breaking at love for 2-1. Swiatek was the steadier of the pair in the opening frame as she eased to a one-set lead.

In the second set, Sabalenka came out firing, hitting more winners in the first two games than she had in the entire opening set (five). Sabalenka was rewarded with her first break points of the day, where she had five opportunities to take an early 2-0 lead.

However, Swiatek is this year’s tour leader in break points saved, and she demonstrated that skill once again. The top seed found strong serves and prolonged points with impeccable defending as she fended off those chances, gritting out a crucial hold for 1-1 to stay with Sabalenka.

Swiatek saved two more break points in her following service game as well, which proved to be the last moment of peril on her delivery. She ended the final 7-for-7 on break points saved.

Swiatek took the lead for good at 4-3 after a netted backhand by Sabalenka ceded the break, and the World No.1 broke one more time for good measure to wrap up her latest WTA 1000 clay-court title. Agencies

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