Serena Williams will take plenty of confidence into next week’s French Open after defeating Victoria Azarenka to win the Rome Masters final on Sunday.
The American world number one holds the Wimbledon and US Open titles currently among her 15 career majors. However, she has only ever won at Roland Garros once.
In this context, Williams’ 6-1, 6-3 victory over Belarussian Azarenka is a major triumph ahead of the French Open.
“It was very close, the first three games were over 20-25 minutes or so, so it wasn’t really easy out there. Nothing is really easy,” said the American.
“I just took the opportunities when I had them. I know she (Azarenka) did as well, but I came up with the good shots sometimes.”
Azarenka said it was a close match, suggested she remains confident ahead of the Parisian clay tournament.
“She played a very good match but I don’t think the score tells the true story of the game,” she said.
“She definitely showed some more incredible tennis today. She’s been playing her best tennis for the past year and a half or so but today she played much better in the key moments of the match.”