Serena Williams thumps Sara Errani to clinch Rome Masters

Rome: World No.1 Serena Williams warmed up for the French Open by cruising to her second straight Rome Masters title on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Sara Errani of Italy. Errani had been looking to become the first Italian winner of the women’s event in 29 years.But with six previous defeats to her American rival, her bid was always going to be difficult and was hampered after she picked up a thigh injury at the end of the first set.

 

Despite plenty of support from a partisan crowd, Errani was overwhelmed by the power of the 32-year-old Florida resident.Williams broke Errani in the second game of the first set and although the 10th seed came back to break in the seventh game, she failed to hold serve in the next, allowing the American to serve out for the set.Errani appeared to have injured her leg when she failed to go for a Williams return which allowed the defending French Open champion to break for a 5-3 lead.

 

Shortly after, the Italian called for the physio. However it did little to reignite her bid to become the first Italian woman since Raffaella Reggi in 1985 win the Italian Open.In the men’s section, World No.1 Rafael Nadal will battle Novak Djokovic for his eighth title after sweeping aside Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-2 in the first semifinals of the men’s Rome Masters.

 

Djokovic had ousted David Ferrer 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the quarter-finals when Nadal came through a tough clash with British number one Andy Murray.But the Serbian, the World No.2, was stretched over two tight sets by Canadian Milos Raonic, whose serves were regularly coming in just under the 230 km/h mark, before outlasting the eighth seed in a one-sided third.