Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka are set to face off in the final of the Italian Open in Rome, marking their second consecutive WTA 1000 final meeting this season after the Madrid final. Swiatek, the World No. 1, has an impressive clay court record, with a win rate of 70.6% against WTA top 10 opponents and an overall career record of 76-10 on clay. She leads the head-to-head against Sabalenka on clay and has won 13 out of 14 clay matches this year. Meanwhile, Sabalenka, the World No. 2, has reached the finals of both Madrid and Rome this season, becoming the sixth player to do so. She secured her place in the Rome final with a straight-sets victory over Collins. This final marks the fourth meeting on clay between Swiatek and Sabalenka as the top two ranked players, equalling the record set by Evert and Navratilova. The match will be their fifth career meeting in a final and the first World No. 1 vs. No. 2 women's singles final in Rome. The last time the WTA's top two players met in consecutive finals was in 2000. Swiatek has taken the opening set 6-2.
Starting off strong ๐ช Iga Swiatek jumps out to an excellent start and grabs the opening set 6-2 over Aryna Sabalenka. #IBI24 https://t.co/h56G8rGwkV
One set from the title ๐ @iga_swiatek takes the opening set 6-2 against Sabalenka. #IBI24 https://t.co/kAWVVFEcrk
Let's have a great final, ladies ๐พ @iga_swiatek | @SabalenkaA | #IBI24 https://t.co/hV6MQfz31t
World No. 1 @iga_swiatek takes on World No. 2 @SabalenkaA for the title in Rome ๐ Stream live NOW on Tennis Channel+ โก๏ธ https://t.co/JgHhEwjp0L #IBI24 https://t.co/lgWNYvRu2X
Iga Swiatek leads the head-to-head on clay ๐พ https://t.co/NcGtTptOvA
How Iga Swiatek & Aryna Sabalenka reached the final in Rome ๐ฎ๐น https://t.co/H68VCXlJMc
Swiatek - Won 13, lost 1 Sabalenka - Won 11, lost 2 The clay court records for Iga Swiatek & Aryna Sabalenka this year ๐ https://t.co/KY0KvZuqow
In a rematch of the Madrid final, Iga Swiatek takes on Aryna Sabalenka for the title in Rome! โ๏ธ Starting not before 11:00am ET. Stream all of the action live on Tennis Channel+ โก๏ธ https://t.co/JgHhEwiRbd #IBI24 https://t.co/TDMp1q0TrS
5 - Since 1990, only Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario have faced each other more often in WTA level clay finals (10 times) than Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka (five). Seatbelt. #IBI24 | @InteBNLdItalia @WTA @WTA_insider
Iga Swiatek & Aryna Sabalenka meet again after their epic final in Madrid ๐ Watch the WTA Italian Open final from 4pm on Sky Sports Tennis ๐บ https://t.co/C6zL1lcutd
On a collision course ๐ค๐ฅ๐ค Iga and Aryna's respective paths to the final โคต๏ธ #IBI24 https://t.co/sfVdcrft0K
1 - Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka are the second pair to face each other in consecutive WTA-1000 finals since the formatโs introduction in 2009, after Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova (Miami and Madrid 2013). Prediction. #IBI24 | @InteBNLdItalia @WTA @WTA_insider
No.1 vs. No.2 seed in WTA 1000 championship matches: 2024, Rome: [1] Iga Swiatek vs. [2] Aryna Sabalenka 2024, Madrid: [1] Iga Swiatek vs. [2] Aryna Sabalenka 2023, Madrid: [1] Iga Swiatek vs. [2] Aryna Sabalenka 2020, Rome: [1] Simona Halep vs. [2] Karolina Pliskova *No.1 vs.โฆ
Day of FINAL in Rome ๐ SWIATEK ๐ SABALENKA Madrid's one rematch. 3pm UTC. https://t.co/xSOCdi9dq6
Road to the Final: @SabalenkaA Round 1: Bye Round 2: Volynets Round 3: [32] Yastremska Round of 16: [16] Svitolina Quarterfinal: [9] Ostapenko Semifinal: [13] Collins Final: vs. [1] Swiatek #IBI24 https://t.co/3ySl9ChnNx
Road to the Final: @iga_swiatek Round 1: Bye Round 2: Pera Round 3: Putintseva Round of 16: Kerber Quarterfinal: [18] Keys Semifinal: [3] Gauff Final: vs. [2] Sabalenka #IBI24 https://t.co/i6dWOIKq7s
Iga Swiatek & Aryna Sabalenka have been No. 1 & 2 for most of two years, but havenโt developed an era-defining rivalry yet. Will another tooth-and-nail title match in Rome start to change that? Breaking down their Saturday final https://t.co/BkNQdJqP2u
FINAL SNAPSHOT: I. Swiatek v. A. Sabalenka ๐ฅ -2nd straight WTA 1000 final meeting -Swiatek leads overall H2H 7-3 & clay final H2H 2-1 -First World No. 1 vs. No. 2 Women's Singles final in Rome -Swiatek and Sabalenka are 2/5 women to reach Madrid and Rome finals back-to-back https://t.co/r62RBqZvFT
Saturday's @WTA sked in Rome is one match - the biggest one, between No. 1 @iga_swiatek and No. 2 @SabalenkaA. And the qualifying - with some quality players - begins in Strasbourg and Rabat. Friday results, Saturday OOPs here. https://t.co/jHHkJrz20a https://t.co/cQ4KoiXfjK
For the love of clay ๐งฑ Since 1990, only one @WTA pairing has met more often in clay court finals than @iga_swiatek and @SabalenkaA. Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario faced off 10 times, including 3 finals at @rolandgarros. Who lifts the @InteBNLdItalia trophy tomorrow? https://t.co/TigL2nRYbh
Swiatek Beats Gauff, Sabalenka Stops Collins, Rivalry Resumes In Rome Masters Final https://t.co/2ZiTmaOA4r
Spoiled by another Swiatek-Sabalenka final ๐คญ๐ฟ Who is your pick to win Rome? #TCLive https://t.co/6yHS2s5I5W
DID YOU KNOWโ Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka playing each other in the Madrid AND Rome finals this year is the first time since *2000* that the WTA #1 and #2 will meet TWICE in a TWO-WEEK SPAN. ๐ฅ The last time was Hingis and Davenport in the 2000 Indian Wells & Miami finals:
No deja vu here ๐ No.1 seed ๐ No.2 seed (again) ๐ 5th career meeting in a final ๐ Who is your pick for the title on Saturday: @iga_swiatek or @SabalenkaA? Presented by @CorpayFX https://t.co/njGcDgBleo
Sabalenka once again too good for Collins. This time 75 62 in Rome. That sets up an anticipated rematch with Swiatek in the final after their tremendous meeting in Madrid. https://t.co/Yo3T4Lq2dz
Blasting her way into her first Rome final ๐ The World No.2 @SabalenkaA cements her place in the final with a straight sets win! #IBI24 https://t.co/GaJBLFdKdB
A *chefโs kiss* performance ๐๐ค Aryna Sabalenka advances to the final in Rome with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Collins! #IBI24 https://t.co/P32z14Ujd3
4 - It would be the fourth meeting on clay between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka as World No. 1 and 2 - equalling Evert & Navratilova for the most meetings on the surface in the past 40 years as the WTA's top-2 ranked players. Epic. #IBI24 | @InteBNLdItalia @WTA @WTA_insider https://t.co/AO8CehjH4k
6 - Aryna Sabalenka is 6th player along with Halep (2017), Safina (2009), S. Williams (2013), Jabeur (2022), and Swiatek (2024) to have reached the final of both Madrid and Rome in the same season. Sail. #IBI24 | @InteBNLdItalia @WTA_insider https://t.co/3rBSFMQ7Ev
Iga Swiatek is through to her FOURTH WTA 1000 final of 2024 ๐ต๐ฑ โ Is there a rematch of Madrid final on the horizon, or will Swiatek and Collins have their third meeting of 2024 ๐ค #IBI24 https://t.co/omRx2cq1M9
Iga Swiatek is now 76-10 (88%) on clay in her entire career at WTA level. Ten career losses. She is also 69-6 (92%) on clay since September 2020 and will play for a 9th title on the surface. A bit surreal how Swiatek is already not too far from Justine Henin's clay numbers...
70.6 - Iga Swiatek (70.6%) is one of four players (min. 10 wins) in the past 40 years to hold a win rate of 70%+ on clay against WTA top 10 opponents, along with Chris Evert (78.9%) , Steffi Graf (76.7%) and Justine Henin (73.8%). Whoa. #IBI24 | @InteBNLdItalia @WTA @WTA_insider