Halep wins Italian Open after Plíšková retires from final

Rome, September 21

Top-seeded Simona Halep won her first Italian Open title on Monday when Karolína Plíšková retired midway through the final with an injury.

Halep was leading 6-0 2-1 when Plíšková stopped playing.

After Halep won the first set, Plíšková had her lower back treated by a trainer.

Halep, who lost the 2017 and 2018 Rome finals to Elina Svitolina, extended her record in tennis' restart to 10-0.

The second-ranked Halep improved to 14-0 overall stretching back to February, when she won a title in Dubai. After the tour's five-month break because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Romanian returned by winning another trophy in Prague last month.

She then skipped the US Open because of travel and health concerns.

Later Monday, Novak Djokovic will face Diego Schwartzman in the men's final. AP

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