Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina clinched her fourth WTA title with victory in the Italian Open as Anhelina Kalinina retired with a leg injury.<\/span><\/p>\n Wimbledon champion Rybakina was leading 6-4 1-0 when her Ukrainian opponent, who had strapping on her left leg, retired in tears after 65 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n It was Rybakina’s third walkover victory of the tournament in Rome.<\/span><\/p>\n The win gives the 23-year-old a top-four seeding at the French Open, which starts at Roland Garros on 28 May. <\/span><\/p>\n Rybakina has made a superb start to the year, runner-up at the Australian Open and winning the Indian Wells title.<\/span><\/p>\n She is the sixth woman since 2009 to win a Grand Slam or Masters title on every surface after Serena Williams, Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza and Ashleigh Barty.<\/span><\/p>\n “With my game, I can play good on all the surfaces,” Rybakina said.<\/span><\/p>\n “It’s just for clay I need to be ready more physically and have a lot of preparation, which I don’t always have the time for after the hard-court season.”<\/span><\/p>\n The final got off to a late start as rain backed up play on centre court for most of the day.<\/span><\/p>\n Playing in her first WTA 1,000 final, Kalinina got off to a quick start, breaking Rybakina in the opening game and holding her own serve to take a 2-0 lead.<\/span><\/p>\n But world number six Rybakina broke back to level at 3-3 and, despite Kalinina saving four break points in the eighth game, broke again to take the first set 6-4.<\/span><\/p>\n “I’m really sorry that I couldn’t play. I was trying to do my best,” 26-year-old Kalinina said.<\/span><\/p>\n “Congratulations for the title and everything you have done this year. It’s really inspiring and hopefully I can get to your level some day.”<\/span><\/p>\n In the men’s semi-finals, Daniil Medvedev defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in a rain-disrupted encounter, while Holger Rune fought back from a set and a break down to beat Norway’s Casper Ruud.<\/span><\/p>\n Russia’s Medvedev, who had not won a match in Rome before this year, triumphed 7-5 7-5 after play was suspended twice because of rain.<\/span><\/p>\n Medvedev took advantage of Tsitsipas surrendering a 40-0 lead at 5-5 and eventually took the first set.<\/span><\/p>\n The players traded breaks in the second, but Medvedev, who is hunting a fifth ATP title of the year, moved in front again after the 11th game and held serve to claim victory,<\/span><\/p>\n In the other semi-final, French Open and US Open runner-up Ruud claimed a tight first set before taking a 4-2 lead in the second.<\/span><\/p>\n However, a medical timeout by Rune for a minor shoulder problem seemed to disrupt Ruud’s rhythm and the 20-year-old Dane broke back twice to force a decider.<\/span><\/p>\n A double fault from Ruud gifted Rune a 3-1 lead and he faced no break points in the third set as he won 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-2 to reach his eighth ATP final.<\/span><\/p>\nMedvedev to face Rune in Sunday’s final<\/h3>\n
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