Halep wins Italian Open as defending champion Pliskova retires

 

Top seed Simona Halep won her first Italian Open title on Monday after defending champion Karolina Pliskova retired injured while trailing 6-0, 2-1 in the final.

World number two Halep , 28, was competing in her third Rome WTA final , having finished runner - up in 2017 and 2018 on the clay at the Foro Italico .

“ Finally after two finals I could win this title , ” the Romanian said .

“ I love this tournament and I ’ m really happy to have this beautiful trophy in my hand .

“ In 2013 here I started to go to the top in world tennis. I really enjoyed and I really was happy on the court that I could play the semi -finals back then . Since then I have started to play really well. ”

Pliskova, the second seed , was playing with her left thigh heavily bandaged.

The Czech struggled with her serve from the outset , falling behind to a double break , handing Halep a 3-0 advantage with a double fault .

Halep saved three break points against her on her next service game before conquering a first one- sided round in 20 minutes .

Pliskova had treatment on her lower back and upper leg before the second set but pushed on with a break for 1- 1 after half an hour .

But the 28- year -old called time in the third game, heading towards Halep to signify the end of the match after 32 minutes .

In total , Halep converted five of seven break point opportunities for her eighth win in 13 meetings with Pliskova, who converted one of four.

Wimbledon champion Halep ’ s 22nd career title comes just a week before the start of the French Open which she won in 2018.

Halep extended her winning streak this season to 14 consecutive victories .

She won the Dubai title in February , before the coronavirus lockdown , coming back to claim victory in Prague last month having skipped the US Open .

Former world number one Pliskova, now ranked four , had been having a successful week on clay after her disappointing second - round exit in the US Open where she was the top seed .

In the men’ s final, world number one Novak Djokovic will bid for a record 36th Masters title later Monday against Argentine Diego Schwartzman.

The Serbian , a four- time winner, is currently tied on 35 Masters crowns with Rafael Nadal , who fell in the quarter- finals this week to Schwartzman.

( AFP)