Polish teenager Iga Swiatek crushed Czech ninth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-0 to win the Italian Open on Sunday earlier than the boys’s 57th profession showdown between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
The 19-year-old reigning French Open champion took simply 45 minutes to dispatch the 2019 Rome winner two weeks earlier than she opens her title defence in Roland Garros.
Swiatek, ranked 15, claimed her third WTA title having adopted her Roland Garros success with a win in Adelaide in January.
“I’m overwhelmed, in the beginning of this event I might not have dreamed of profitable it,” said an emotional Swiatek.
Swiatek swept through the first set in just 20 minutes, allowing Pliskova four points, dropping just 13 in total throughout the match.
Pliskova tried to fight back in the third game of the second set, holding a double break to win the third game, but the Polish player ruthlessly snuffed out any return.
“I will just quickly forget about today,” stated Pliskova, the world quantity 9, who was taking part in in her third consecutive Rome remaining.
The former world primary retired injured in final 12 months’s remaining whereas trailing 6–0, 2–1 to Romania’s Simona Halep.
“It’s undoubtedly not the perfect day within the event for me, however congratulations she performed very nicely.
“I’ve had some nice matches right here, prior to now I did nicely.”
Ninth seed Pliskova was the only top 10 player left in the women’s tournament.
Halep, the third seed, retired with a calf injury. World number one Ashleigh Barty withdrew with a right hand problem, as a precaution before the French Open. Second seed Naomi Osaka, four-time Rome winner Serena Williams and Sofia Kenin, ranked fifth, and 10th ranked Petra Kvitova also exited early.
Swiatek eliminated fifth seed Elina Svitolina, a two-time Rome winner, in the quarter-finals before seeing off 17-year-old American Coco Gauff in the semis.
“I was able to beat Elina, so that shows that my game is here, I’m ready for anyone,” she warned.
“I’m shocking myself once I’m not doing nicely as a result of I’m fairly bold.
“I’m a perfectionist, which I’m combating with truly generally.
“I all the time attempt to study from what different ladies skilled.”
She next travels to Paris to defend her Grand Slam trophy.
“It’s not easy to be a defending champion.
“I can enjoy being there, just being in Paris because I love playing there. I’m not worrying about that.”
Later Sunday, world primary Djokovic, the defending champion, takes on nine-time Rome winner Rafael Nadal for the sixth time within the Italian Open remaining.
Djokovic and Nadal, who shall be going through one another for the 57th time, final performed within the 2020 French Open remaining which the Spaniard received in straight units.
The pair have received 14 of the final 16 Rome titles between them. Nadal leads their head-to-head in finals within the Italian capital 3-2.
“It’s nice to play him once more within the remaining,” said five-time winner Djokovic.
“He’s the guy that I have encountered the most in my career, definitely my biggest rival of all time.”
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