Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina poses with her trophy celebrating winning the final match of the Women’s WTA Rome Open tennis tournament against Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina at Foro Italico in Rome on May 20, 2023. – Rybakina wins the Rome WTA at the start of the second set of the finals after Kalinina forefeited due to an injury. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)
Elena Rybakina claims Rome title after Anhelina Kalinina retires in tears
Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina continued her phenomenal 2023 season with another big title in Rome on Saturday night.
Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina poses with her trophy celebrating winning the final match of the Women’s WTA Rome Open tennis tournament against Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina at Foro Italico in Rome on May 20, 2023. – Rybakina wins the Rome WTA at the start of the second set of the finals after Kalinina forefeited due to an injury. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)
Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina continued her phenomenal 2023 season with another big title.
At the WTA 1000 Italian Open, Rybakina defeated an injured Anhelina Kalinina in a late-night final on Saturday to claim her second championship of the year with a score of 6-4, 1-0, ret. Due to a left thigh injury, Kalinina withdrew from the championship.
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Elena Rybakina claims Rome title
Rybakina had fallen to Kalinina in their lone prior encounter, which took place on Charleston’s clay courts in 2022.
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“Of course, happy with the title,” Rybakina said in her post-match press conference. “Not the way I want to finish this match.
“It’s been great, I think, results for Anhelina. She played some tough battles. Really happy for her improvement. Hopefully she can continue like this. Pity she couldn’t finish the match. I hope that it’s nothing serious. So hopefully she can recover quick and she can continue like this.”
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Rybakina is tied for second position on the tour’s win list with World No. 1 Iga Swiatek after winning 28 matches at WTA Tour level this year. Only Aryna Sabalenka, the current Australian Open winner and world No 2, has won more games this year, with 29 victories to her name.
“I’m proud that I can maintain this level,” Rybakina said. “It’s not easy, with all the scheduling, traveling. I think we’re doing a good job with the team. I can see improvements on the court, physically also. I think we’re on a right way.”
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Crying off
Kalinina said that she had reached her physical limit.
She had been the lowest-ranked player to reach the final in Rome since 1985.
“I feel like I am at my physical limit today especially,” Kalinina said afterwards. “Today, yeah, I started, but after, I don’t know, two, three games, I couldn’t. I was trying, but it was absolutely impossible.
“I’m most proud of my fighting spirit these two weeks. I was fighting despite the score, any situation, any weather conditions, opponents. Everyone was very tough. A serious draw.”
