Elena Rybakina warmed up for the French Open by capturing the Italian Open title after the Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina was forced to retire with a thigh injury while trailing 6-4, 1-0 to the world No 6.
Rybakina got off to an edgy start in the rain-delayed contest by dropping her opening service game before the Wimbledon champion levelled at 3-3 and then wrapped up the opening set with a late break.
Kalinina, playing in the second singles final of her career and first WTA 1000 final, called the trainer on to the court after losing the opening game of the second set before quitting the match in tears.
Victory ensured Rybakina, the Australian Open runner-up, won her second title of the year following her Indian Wells triumph and fifth overall. The 23-year-old Kazakhstani, who won three of her matches in Rome after her opponents retired, will break into the top five on Monday. She also reached the final in Miami and heads to Roland Garros as a top contender for the year’s second major.
Holger Rune battled from a set and break down to seal a 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2 win over the world No 4, Casper Ruud, in an absorbing all-Scandinavian Italian Open semi-final. He will now meet Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final.
The French and US Open runner-up Rune took a tight first set on the back of 22 winners, including 11 on his forehand, and looked well on course for a spot in the final after grabbing the first break of the match in the second set for a 4-2 lead.
“I told myself at this moment I had nothing to lose, he’s probably going to win the match,” said the Dane. “So I told myself to play free and enjoy myself as it would probably be my last set here.”
Rune took a medical timeout for a minor shoulder problem and that looked to throw Ruud off his game as the 24-year-old Norwegian surrendered his serve twice to get dragged into a deciding set. A double-fault gifted Rune a break and a 3-1 lead in the decider and the 20-year-old never looked back as he sealed a first victory over Ruud in five meetings.
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Rune faces another tough test in world No 3 Medvedev, who came through his semi-final against Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5, despite a disruption due to rain.
