World No 1 Iga Swiatek brushed aside the No 2 Aryna Sabalenka to win the Italian Open in Rome.
The 22-year-old Pole needed just one hour and 29 minutes to ease to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over her Belarusian opponent on the clay to claim the crown for the third time in four years.
It was a repeat of Swiatek’s victory over Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final two weeks ago, although that proved a far more difficult affair as she saved three match points before winning in three sets.
Swiatek broke to love in the third game to give herself the advantage in the first set, and it was one she never looked like surrendering as her depth of return kept the Australian Open champion on the back foot.
The second set proved far more testing with Swiatek having to save seven break points before her opponent succumbed to hand her a 4-3 lead which ultimately proved decisive.
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For Swiatek, the reigning French Open champion, it was her 21st WTA title and her fourth this year. It was her ninth successive final victory.
In the process, she became just the third woman to win in Madrid and Rome in the same year after Dinara Safina in 2009 and Serena Williams in 2013.
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