Swiatek overwhelms Pliskova in Italian Open final

Polish teenager Iga Swiatek thrashed Czech ninth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-0 6-0 to win the Italian Open.
The 19-year-old reigning French Open champion took just 45 minutes to dispatch the 2019 winner.


Former world number one Pliskova has now lost back-to-back Rome finals after defeat by Simona Halep last year.


“I’m overwhelmed, at the beginning of this tournament I would not have dreamed of winning it,” said 15th seed Swiatek.
Swiatek swept through the first set in just 20 minutes, with Pliskova winning just four points.
Pliskova, 29, attempted a fightback in the third game of the second set, holding a double break to go 2-1 up, but Swiatek ruthlessly snuffed out any return.


“I will just quickly forget about today,” said Pliskova, who was playing in her third consecutive Rome final.
“I’ve had some great matches here, in the past I did well.”
Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira claimed the undisputed UFC lightweight title with a thrilling second-round TKO of three-time Bellator champion Michael Chandler.


Brazilian Oliveira extended his winning streak to nine on a dramatic night in Houston, Texas.
The bout formed the main event of UFC 262 at the Toyota Center, where the capacity crowd of 16,000 fans saw Oliveira, 31, produce a thrilling come-from-behind performance to capture the title vacated this year by the retiring Khabib Nurmagomedov.


Before the bout got under way, there was a moment of respect between the pair as Oliveira approached Chandler’s corner and embraced his rival before greeting each of Chandler’s cornermen.
When the action got under way, the momentum swung back and forth as both men threatened to claim a stoppage victory in a wild opening round.

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