Ukraine's Elina Svitolina kisses the trophy as she celebrates winning the final against Romania's Simona Halep. (Reuters Photo)
ROME, MAY 20 (AGENCIES): On an otherwise perfect day, the world No1 Simona Halep collapsed spectacularly in her rematch with Elina Svitolina to gift the Ukrainian a second Italian Open title.
It took the fourth seed just over an hour to dispose of her wounded foe, 6-0, 6-4, her fourth win over Halep in six meetings. Last year, they battled for more than two hours and three sets in the final, before Svitolina overpowered Halep in the third set. This time the one-way traffic started early.
They head for Roland Garros encouraged by solid performances during the week here, but Halep has cause for concern if, as seems likely, she has a back problem. The Romanian was not remotely in the contest in an opening set that sped by in 19 minutes and, after taking a medical timeout in the second, managed to make something of a fight of it.
However, it was a disappointing spectacle for a showpiece event on Campo Centrale, which is normally a bearpit in big matches, with the Roman crowd craning forward from the steep seats baying for action as if it were the coliseum. The gladiatorial content was minimal on Sunday.
Halep looked to be restricted in her sideways movement, although she was all smiles during the presentation, regretting that she could not have performed better when it mattered. Both finalists had reached the decider having dropped just one set.
In the first frame, Halep’s attack lacked all potency as she took just two points from 15 first serves, and she was constantly on the back foot in rallies, yet still managed to save two of five break points before succumbing. Svitolina dominated her with ball in hand, winning a phenomenal 86 per cent of first serves.
Halep left the court for a medical time out at 2-3 in the second and returned to engage in a fightback that finally spluttered into life in the seventh game, when she saved two break points to hold with an ace for 3-4. She threatened to break serve in the eighth game but Svitolina held her composure.
Clearly still not properly co-ordinated in her movement, Halep struggled to stay in the contest, with the sympathy of the crowd countermanding the determination of her opponent. She fought to deuce, thrashing her forehand as hard as she could into the corners, and held with a scorching backhand down the line. But she looked far from happy as Svitolina stepped up to serve for the match just past the hour.
Svitolina calmly worked the ball to either side, setting up two championship points with a forehand to the deuce corner, but slugged a backhand into the tramlines. Halep did the job for her though, by dumping a tired backhand into the net.
The champion’s celebrations were as low-key as the loser’s resignation was complete. It was not a great final.
“It’s the second time, so I wish I will be in the final again next year and maybe win it,” Halep said.
For Svitolina it was just, “a very, very special day” to retain her trophy. She thanked the fans wholeheartedly, in the worn tradition of such gestures, but there will not have been many in the crowd who went away with fond memories of this one-sided affair.
