Elena Rybakina clinched her second WTA 1000 title of the year after Anhelina Kalinina withdrew from the match during the second set in a late night at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome.
Rybakina had lost to Kalinina in Charleston on clay last year.
Rybakina claimed her fifth career singles title and is projected to world number 4. The Kazakh player adds the Rome title to her Indian Wells trophy becoming the first player to win two WTA 1000 titles this year. She has improved her record in WTA 1000 tournaments to 19-2 this year.
Monica Seles and Maria Sharapova are the only players, who have reached finals at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami and Rome in the same year.
Kalinina earned an early break to build a 3-1 lead. Rybakina broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. The reigning Wimbledon champion broke again to take a 5-4 lead.
Kalinina played one point in the second game before retiring from the match due to a left leg injury.
“I feel like I am at my physical limit today Today I started, but after two, three games I couldn’t. I was trying, but it was impossible”, said Kalinina.
