IGA Swiatek has cracked the top 10 WTA Tour world rankings for the first time with a huge 6-0 6-0 sweep of Karolina Pliskova in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia final, obliterating her fifth seed opposition to jump into ninth in the world. The 19-year-old starred in the first ever double-bagel victory at Rome, also registering the shortest WTA final since 2009.

“From the beginning I felt that she may be a little bit nervous,” Swiatek said post-match. “I wanted to use that and actually play as many games with that vibe as I can. That’s why it was pretty fast at the beginning.

“I saw that, because I thought her movement wasn’t really good, but I also had in my mind that she’s gonna start in a minute feeling better and being in a rhythm. So I wasn’t really focusing on that.”

Swiatek starred in all facets of her game, dropping just 13 points across the entire 46-minute match in a record-fewest in a WTA 1000-level final. She won a classy 93.3 per cent of her first serve points and 84.6 per cent of her second set points, saving both of Pliskova’s break point opportunities and converting off six of her eight chances.

“When my coach told me it was 6-0, 6-0, I was, like, Really? Isn’t that a mistake?” Swiatek said. “When I was on the breaks, I was visualising that I’m starting that match from the beginning every time. Actually, I did that so well that I didn’t even know that it was 6-0 in the first set… The key is just to not to think about it and just, you know, play. Because when you’re gonna think about the score, you can actually ruin your mindset and ruin your attitude.”

Swiatek did not let up throughout the contest, hitting 17 winners to just five unforced errors. Comparatively, Pliskova could not get into the groove and struggled against the clay-court talent, registering six double faults and winning just 20 per cent of the total points throughout.

“I think she had amazing day and I had horrible day,” said Pliskova. “That’s one of those combinations which I guess can happen.

“I just was feeling horrible out there today. That’s one of those days. But I think she really made it extremely difficult for me to do any point and to play anything from my game. She was playing super fast. I thought she was just going for it.

“I had a couple, just a couple, of good shots, and I think she can just redirect so well and she can play even faster, and especially on clay.”

At other events, the first day has been complete at both the Belgrade Open in Serbia, and Emilia-Romagna Open in Parma, Italy.

INTERNAZIONALI BNL D’ITALIA FINAL RESULT:

[15] Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated [5] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6-0 6-0

Picture credit: Jimmie48/WTA