Swiatek, Zverev soar to Rome silverware

Swiatek resumes clay mastery in Rome 

Following triumphs in 2021 and 2022, Iga Swiatek can add the 2024 Rome title to her growing swag of clay-court conquests.

The 22-year-old Pole conducted a convincing clinic on the red clay of Rome this year, dropping just 33 games across six dominant performances and swept to her third title in the Italian capital with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday – her second victory over the talented 26-year-old in as many weeks after the pair's dramatic Madrid final. 

Riding a beefed-up serve and oozing confidence on her favourite surface, Swiatek saved all seven break points she faced in the final against Sabalenka and dropped just 18 points on serve across the 89-minute contest. 

“I think in this tournament, my serve was kind of really helping me,” said the Pole, who heads to Roland Garros with a 38-4 overall record and four titles to her name in 2024. “All this work that we've been putting in actually paid off in those important moments. 

“I'm really happy with that because that's what we've been working for.”

With the title, Swiatek becomes the first player to complete the Madrid-Rome double since Serena Williams in 2013, and the third overall to achieve the feat. 

She will next set her sights on winning a third consecutive Roland-Garros title, something that has not been accomplished by a woman since Justine Henin completed her three-peat in 2007. 

A three-time champion in Paris, with titles won in 2020, 2022 and 2023, Swiatek will be the heavy favourite the minute she walks through the gates at Porte d'Auteuil, but she is not overthinking her status.

“I'm No.1 so I'm the favorite everywhere if you look at rankings,” Swiatek said in Rome. “But rankings don't play [the matches], so… I'll do everything step by step and we'll see.”

Zverev captures second Rome crown

Rome has proven to be a place of firsts for Alexander Zverev. The 27-year-old won his first Masters 1000 title at the Foro Italico in 2017, and on Sunday he claimed his sixth Masters 1000 crown - his first since suffering a debilitating ankle injury at Roland-Garros in 2022 - with victory over Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, 6-4, 7-5. 

“Winning my first ever [Masters title] in Rome, and also winning my first after the injury, it is a very special place for me,” Zverev said on court after claiming his first since Masters 1000 title since August 2021 in Cincinnati. “I said it in the beginning of the week if Rome is a place of firsts for me then I’m extremely happy about it. Obviously it has been a very special week.” 

Zverev - whose victory ensured a return to world No.4 - was dominant on serve from the start of Sunday’s final. He dropped just five points on serve as he held hard-hitting Jarry at bay with a flawless attack that featured 15 winners against just eight unforced errors.

The German never faced a break point and gradually wore down his 28-year-old opponent who was playing in his maiden Masters 1000 final and bidding to become the first man from his country to win a Masters title since Marcelo Rios in 1999. 

“He’s playing huge,” Zverev said. “You can see by the opponents he beat and how he beat them this week.” 

To Jarry’s credit both sets were tense endeavors until the bitter end. Zverev broke for the first set in the 12th game when a sharp backhand return forced a forehand error out of the world No.24.

In the second set Jarry did his best to hold firm under pressure, saving three championship points with bold hitting, but he couldn’t save a fourth. When the dust had settled, Zverev dropped to his knees in celebration, savouring his biggest victory in two years. 

Next, he will try to keep his momentum rolling into Paris, where he has reached the semi-finals in his past three appearances and owns a 28-8 lifetime record. 

“The focus is on Paris, that’s for sure,” Zverev said. “Let me enjoy this one for a day or so and I’ll have my full focus on Roland-Garros.”