Simona Halep added the Internazionali BNL d’Italia title to her trophy cabinet, prevailing in the final after defending champion Karolina Pliskova was forced to retire at 6-0 2-1.
Halep has now won the last three tournaments she has contested, having also lifted the trophy in Dubai and Prague, and this victory extended her winning streak to 14 matches.
The Romanian was in flying form from the outset, playing flawless tennis as she romped through the first set in 20 minutes. Pliskova couldn’t match her opponent for intensity and was struggling to push up on her serve – one of her biggest weapons – so was no match for the top seed who won 13 of 14 points – and 11 in a row – as the set neared its end.
The second set began with an exchange of breaks and there was hope that the treatment the Czech had received on her lower back at the end of the first set had made a difference. She was broken immediately back however and that break proved decisive, Pliskova walking to her opponent and ending the match after 32 minutes.
It was third time lucky for Halep who had reached the Italian Open final twice before, losing to Elina Svitolina in 2017 and 2018 while the world No.4 was unable to retain her title, the defeat ending her nine-match winning streak in Rome.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario