Serena Williams won her third title of the season as she delivered a crushing 6-3, 6-0 defeat to Sara Errani to win a third trophy at the Rome Masters on Sunday.
The world number one now heads to the French Open on solid form after winning the week in Rome after withdrawing from a Madrid semi-final last weekend with a thigh injury.
Williams becomes the first player on the WTA to lift three trophies this season after beating Italy’s Errani for the seventh time with the loss of just one set in that series.
Errani was the first local woman to reach an Italian final since Raffaella Reggi in 1985.
The local heroine was bothered by a left thigh injury, the apparent result of a movement late in the 49-minute opening set.
She took treatment and went off court for a taping while trailing 5-3.
Williams took 50 minutes to win the first set and 21 more to sew up the victory. Errani achieved a personal best after beating two top 10 players at the same event for the first time in her career - Li Na and Jelena Jankovic.
Williams finished with a forehand winner down the line on her first match point.
