Swiatek, champion with the biggest beating in a WTA 1,000 final

Karolina Pliskova, who had very good memories of her performances in Rome, where she was champion in 2019 and finalist in 2020, will have to live from this Sunday with a very negative memory over this WTA 1,000 after lose by a double 6-0 in the final against Iga Swiatek. The 19-year-old Polish, winner last year at Roland Garros, endorsed two donuts to the 29-year-old Czech. A score that had never occurred in the title match of the previous 52 editions of the tournament or in any other final in that category (since 1988). If it had happened in Grand Slams on a couple of occasions: at Wimbledon 1911 when the British Dorothea Douglas won 6-0 over her compatriot Dora Boothby; Y at Roland Garros 1988 when the German Steffi Graf beat the Soviet Natalia Zvereva with the same score in 40 minutes.

To top it off, part of the audience whistled the defeated for her unfortunate performance in the 46 minutes the meeting lasted. An unseemly embarrassment for a professional at a major event. “There are days when nothing comes out, and this one I will try to forget quickly,” said Karolina. At least his name will be in the record book.

In the first set, Pliskova earned just four points, perhaps the worst record of her career. In the second he added nine for an infamous total of 13. Swiatek did not do anything to write home about, beyond failing very little (five unforced errors), but more than for his precision. because her rival did not squeeze her at any time and failed almost five times more than her (23).

Future value

It would not be fair for Pliskova’s sad performance to hide the brilliant progression of Swiatek, who wins the third title of her career, second of the year after Adelaide and she is one of the young tennis players called to do great things on the circuit. To reach the final, he first beat Riske, Keys, Krejcikova (against whom he saved match points), Svitolina and Gauff, important rivals. In Paris he will clearly start as a favorite. “I am very excited, because at the beginning of the tournament I would not have imagined that I would get here after a week in which I saved set and match points …”, Iga explained on the verge of tears, and as the girl she still is, she remembered his cat: “She is not here and I have thought about her every day.”

Results WTA 1.000 Rome.