Serena Williams Wins in Rome for the 4th Time to End a 9-Month Title Drought - UBITENNIS
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Serena Williams Wins in Rome for the 4th Time to End a 9-Month Title Drought

Serena Williams beat Madison Keys in straight sets in a historical all-American final in Rome to conquer her first WTA title since August last year, when she was crown champion in Cincinnati. The World No.1 is now the favorite approaching the French Open.

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8 years ago

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She had to wait 9 months, lose her grip on ultimate history in front of her home crowd in New York, lose a Grand Slam final when she had the chance to tie Steffi Graf in the all-time open era record of 22 majors, but then Serena Williams has finally ended her title drought winning her 4th championship at the Italian Open. The World No.1 won her 70th WTA title on Sunday in Rome, beating Madison Keys in the final in straight sets, with the final score of 7-6(5) 6-3. With a 4th crown in Rome, Serena joins Conchita Martinez and Gabriela Sabatini in the list for more titles conquered in the eternal city (Chris Evert holds the all-time record with 5 wins).

Serena Williams and Madison Keys were meeting for a career third time on Sunday in the final of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia 2016, in the first all-American final in Rome since 1970. With Serena leading the series 2-0, thanks to the wins conquered in 2015 at the Australian Open and US Open, the World No.1 was the clear favorite to win the match. Playing in her 4th Rome’s final, seeking a 4th title, Serena for the first time since 1998 arrived at the last act of the Italian Open without having won a title prior in the season. News of 2016 seems that the World No.1 has become fragile in finals, losing to Kerber at the Australian Open and to Azarenka in Indian Wells, both times starting the final clash as the favorite to win the title. In Rome, it seemed the new tendency for Serena would continue as soon as the match kicked off.

Keys started the match on a roll. With Serena serving in the first game, Madison got three break point chances and managed to break serve. The World No.24 then held serve and built a 2-0 lead early on. Serena responded getting on the scoreboard holding serve to 15 as Keys pushed a backhand long.

Madison managed to move Serena around the court pushing with her forehand. Williams rather rusty on her right side wasn’t conquering the rallies as seen against Kuznetsova in the quarters or Begu in the semifinals. Playing superb tennis on her service games, Madison keep the lead, up 3-1 in the set. Serving at 3-2, Keys had 2 game points, but surprisingly hit two double faults in a row. A forehand that seemed having caught the line was then judge out for Keys, who ended up getting broken with a forehand completely missed in the corridor. As the young American gave the game away, Serena hit back at 3-3.

As the quality of the match dropped a bit, with both players missing more than firing winners, Serena held serve to take the lead for the first time in the match, up 4-3. Keys responded holding at 30 to set the score tied at 4-4. Serena was challenged in the 9th game, but managed to hold serve at 30, closing with an ace to lead 5-4.

Serving to stay in the set, Keys showed all the progresses she has made in the past two years. Madison held serve firing two forehand winners, to tie the score at 5-5. Keys was called to serve to stay in the set a second time, down 5-6, and starting by hitting a double fault. Madison recovered quickly, helped by Serena’s lack of consistency. The set was to be decided by a tie-break.

The first three points in the tie-break went against serve, then Serena was the first to win a point with a first serve, to take a 3-1 lead. Keys won the best point of the set with a stunning forehand down the line winner, then managed to get back in the tie-break at 5-5. Serena followed with a forehand cross court too good for Keys to put back on court. Williams was the first player to see a set point at 6-5. Serena played a superb first serve on which Keys couldn’t return on court, conquering the tie-break and the first set 7-6(5).

https://twitter.com/WTA/status/731832647677136900

Serena started the second set breaking Keys’ serve, thanks to a stunning recovery from a drop volley played by Madison.

https://twitter.com/WeAreTennisFR/status/731835269171822592

Swinging free, Serena held serve quickly to lead 2-0. Williams continued to hold her grip on the match, forcing Keys to something more to win the points. The World No.1 broke again in the third game, as Madison missed a forehand in the corridor, building a 3-0 double-break lead.

Williams followed with a terrible performance on her serve, including a double fault and easy unforced errors in the net, to allow Keys with the break and on the scoreboard at 1-3. Madison held serve quickly after, setting the score at 3-2 for Williams.

The World No.1 regained her focus and finished the 6th game with an ace, to confirm the break and lead 4-2. Frustrated with her inability to take her chances, Keys let the 7th game slip away quickly, as Serena broke to 15 to grant herself a chance to serve for the match up 5-2.

Keys played a superb returning game, breaking Williams when serving for the match, to trail back 3-5. Serena reacted played aggressive in the 9th game, seeing a first match point opportunity after moving Keys around the court forcing with her forehand. On her first championship point Serena fired a deep backhand cross court return on which Keys hit a force error, pushing her backhand long.

https://twitter.com/WTA/status/731841535952584704

A warm encounter at the net followed, where Serena congratulated her opponent saying ”I am so proud of you, You are going to get to World No.1”.

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Emma Raducanu Criticises Gender Pay Gap And Responds To Critics Ahead Of Roland Garros

Emma Raducanu has criticised the gender pay gap in tennis as Rome’s prize money for the women’s tournament was significantly lower than the men’s tournament.

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3 hours ago

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18/05/2024

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(@Wimbledon - Twitter)

Emma Raducanu has criticised the gender pay gap after the tournament in Rome significantly payed less to it’s female athletes than it’s main counterparts.

Although Roland Garros and the tournament in Madrid offered the same pay to the winners of both female and male competitions, the same cannot be said for Rome this week.

The winner between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka will get 250,000 Euros less than the winner of the men’s final between Alexander Zverev and Nicolas Jarry.

It’s a statistic that is damning on the sport and Emma Raducanu has criticised the figure as she states that the women’s game is technically better than the men’s game, “A lot of women’s players are technically better,” Raducanu told The Times.

“They rely on speed, agility and brain rather than brute strength. The prize money gap is huge on the ATP tour, which I don’t necessarily think is fair, but equally playing three sets in the slams is a lot better than the men’s five, which is brutal.”

Meanwhile as for Raducanu, the Brit is preparing for Roland Garros qualifying next week as she missed out on a wildcard into the main draw.

Despite Raducanu’s gradual improvement over the last few weeks the trolls on social media have failed to go away as the former US Open champion continues her commercial commitments.

Speaking out on the critics Raducanu stated that they don’t see the work of an athlete behind the scenes, “There are those who see me doing a shoot or posing for a commercial and they don’t see the seven hours before that at the training centre, doing physio, gym, hitting balls,” Raducanu explained.

“But if on a rare evening I go to a premiere and I get photographed, that’s my downtime.”

Next week’s appearance in Paris will only be Raducanu’s second Roland Garros having reached the second round two years ago.

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Internazionali d’Italia Daily Preview: Iga Swiatek Plays Aryna Sabalenka for the Women’s Singles Championship

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17 hours ago

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17/05/2024

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Iga Swiatek on Thursday in Rome (twitter.com/InteBNLdItalia)

Saturday features a blockbuster WTA singles final, as well as the ATP doubles semifinals.

In a rematch from the epic final in Madrid two weeks ago, World No.1 Iga Swiatek will face World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka for the women’s singles title in Rome.  In Madrid, Swiatek saved multiple match points, eventually prevailing 9-7 in a third-set tiebreak.  Can Sabalenka avenge that loss on Saturday?

Iga Swiatek (2) vs. Aryna Sabalenka (2) – Not Before 5:00pm on Center Court

This will be their 11th meeting, all of which have taken place within the past two-and-a-half years.  Swiatek leads 7-3 overall, and 4-1 on clay.  Sabalenka’s only victory on this surface came in the Madrid final a year ago. 

Iga is now 37-4 on the year, and 13-1 on clay.  She’s on an 11-match winning streak, claiming nine of those matches in straight sets, including all five of her wins this fortnight. 

By contrast, six of Aryna’s 10 match wins between Madrid and Rome have been three-setters, even outlasting Elina Svitolina in a third-set tiebreak in the fourth round of Rome.  But she has now defeated four consecutive seeded players (Yastremska, Svitolina, Ostapenko, Collins), with the last two wins coming in straight sets.  So despite a back issue she’s been dealing with during this tournament, Sabalenka should be rather fresh for this final.

However, overcoming Swiatek on clay has become the WTA’s toughest task.  Across the last five seasons, she is 69-7 on this surface, which is equivalent to a 92% winning percentage.  If Sabalenka couldn’t complete the task in the altitude of Madrid, which favors her game, I don’t like her chances of doing so in Rome, especially with a nagging back issue.  And considering Iga hasn’t lost a completed match in Rome since 2020, the World No.1 should be favored to win her third title at Foro Italico on Saturday.

Other Notable Matches on Saturday:

Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic vs. Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori – Arevalo and Pavic are vying to reach the second final of their new partnership for 2024, and their first since the start of the year in Hong Kong.  The Italian team of Bolelli and Vavassori already eliminated two top 10 seeds to advance to this semifinal, their fifth of the season.

Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos (1) vs. Alexander Bublik and Ben Shelton – Granollers and Zeballos have advanced to three finals this year, though they’ve lost all three.  Shelton and Bublik are a new team who won three consecutive 10-point tiebreaks to reach this semifinal.

Saturday’s full Order of Play is here.

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Novak Djokovic Accepts Geneva Wildcard Ahead Of Roland Garros

Novak Djokovic has accepted a wildcard into next week’s ATP 250 event in Geneva as he looks to improve his form ahead of Roland Garros.

Published

22 hours ago

on

17/05/2024

By

(@TheTennisLetter - Twitter)

Novak Djokovic has shockingly accepted a wildcard into next week’s ATP 250 event in Geneva.

The world number one hasn’t had the best season so far having yet to reach a final at any of his events this season.

There was hope for Djokovic that his fortunes would change on clay and the Serb started his clay court season by reaching the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo before losing to Casper Ruud.

However Djokovic’s clay court hopes were dashed in Rome as he lost in the third round to in-form Chilean Alejandro Tabilo.

This has meant that Djokovic risks being undercooked for the second Grand Slam of the season at Roland Garros.

Therefore the Serb has had no option but to take a wildcard into next week’s ATP 250 in Geneva.

Djokovic will join Casper Ruud, Andy Murray, Denis Shapovalov and Taylor Fritz in next week’s event.

Next week’s appearance will be the first appearance in Geneva in Djokovic who will be the top seed in Switzerland.

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