Top seed Simona Halep won her first Italian Open title on Monday after defending champion Karolina Pliskova retired injured while trailing 6-0, 2-1 in the final. World number two Halep, 28, was competing in her third Rome WTA final, having finished runner-up in 2017 and 2018 on the clay at the Foro Italico.

"Finally after two finals I could win this title," the Romanian said. "I love this tournament and I'm really happy to have this beautiful trophy in my hand. In 2013 here I started to go in the top in world tennis. I really enjoyed and I really was happy on court that I could play the semi-finals back then. Since then I have started to play really well."