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Game, Set, and Match Williams 7-6, 6-3 as Williams claims a fourth Internazionali BNL d'Italia to put herself in good stead for a fourth French Open title in only three weeks.
30-40: Keys sends a forehand wide to bring up championship point for Williams.
30-30: Keys hits a forehand at her feet long, to put Williams two points from the title.
30-15: Williams sends a forehand return into the net.
5-15: Keys misses a backhand wide.
15-0: Williams hits a forehand return long.
Keys breaks back for 5-3 with a huge forehand winner. Keys will serve to stay in the match.
15-40: Keys blasts a huge forehand return, Williams sending it back wide.
15-30: Williams hits a forehand winner.
0-30: Keys hits a big return, Williams hitting it back long.
0-15: Williams cannot return a big forehand return.
Keys sends another backhand long to give Williams the chance to serve for the title, up 5-2 in the second.
15-40: Williams sends a rally forehand out.
0-40: Keys misses a forehand down the line into the net.
0-30: Keys nets a forehand.
0-15: Keys nets a forehand.
Williams holds for 4-2 off of a big ace down the middle, to send herself two games from a fourth Italian Open title.
40-15: Keys hits a forehand long for game point for Williams.
30-15: Williams misses an easy forehand swing volley.
30-0: Keys sends another forehand into the net.
15-0: Keys hits a forehand long.
Keys holds for 3-2 to keep the margin to one break, with Williams to serve next to attempt to redeem her two double faults her previous service game.
40-0: Williams nets another forehand.
30-0: Williams misses a return long.
15-0: Keys hits a big ace.
Keys gets one of the breaks back off of a second straight double fault from Williams for 3-1.
0-40: Williams commits her first double fault of the match.
0-30: Williams sends a forehand long.
0-15: Keys cracks a huge backhand return for a winner.
Williams breaks again for a 3-0 lead off of an inside out forehand miss from Keys.
40-AD: Keys misses a backhand passing shot.
40-40: Keys misses an easy forehand approach.
40-30: Williams nets a forehand.
30-30: Keys cracks a huge forehand winner into the corner.
15-30: Williams sends a backhand into the net.
0-30: Keys commits another backhand error, hitting wide.
0-15: Keys nets a forehand.
Williams holds for 2-0 after Keys sends another forehand long.
40-15: Keys hits a huge forehand winner in the corner.
40-0: Williams hits another unreturned serve.
30-0: Williams cracks a huge ace out wide.
15-0: Williams hits a nice volley winner.
Williams breaks Keys to start the second set with a cheeky lob dig, taking the lead 1-0.
30-40: Williams hits a big forehand winner.
30-30: Keys sends a backhand wide.
30-15: Williams sends a backhand long.
15-15: Keys hits a forehand volley winner.
0-15: Keys hits a backhand down the line long.
Williams blasts a huge serve with Keys' return landing long to give the world number one the set 7-6. Williams releases a huge "cmon" after winning a tight set to go a set from a fourth Rome title.
5-6: Williams hits some big returns for set point.
5-5: Williams hits a return long.
5-4: Keys blasts some monstrous forehands, resulting in a huge winner.
5-3: Williams hits an unreturned serve to put her two points from the set.
3-4: Keys hits an unreturned serve.
2-4: Keys hits a volley long off of a brilliant lob from Williams.
3-2: Keys blasts a huge forehand return, forehand long from Williams.
3-1: Williams hits an unreturned serve.
1-2: Williams blasts a nice forehand into the corner, unreturned by Keys, to gain the mini break.
1-1: Keys commits a disappointing backhand error.
0-1: Keys hits a big forehand return.
Keys hold for 6-6 to force a tiebreak off of a big forehand winner.
40-30: Williams hits a forehand long.
30-30: Keys makes another forehand error.
30-15: Williams sends another forehand long.
15-15: Keys hits a big backhand down the line to wrong-foot Williams.
0-15: Keys hits a disappointing double fault.
Williams holds for 6-5, putting the pressure back on Keys to serve to stay in the opening set.
40-15: Williams nets a backhand.
40-0: Williams hits a forehand winner.
30-0: Keys hits a forehand out.
15-0: Williams hits another unreturned serve.
Keys holds to level at 5-5 courtesy of a forehand error from Williams.
40-30: Keys frames a forehand long.
40-15: Williams commits another error, hitting wide.
30-15: Big forehand approach winner from Keys.
15-15: Huge serve, forehand combination from Keys finished by a winner.
0-15: Keys hits a forehand into the net.
Williams holds for 5-4 with a huge ace out wide. Keys will serve to stay in the set.
40-30: Williams hits a big forehand winner cross court, Keys unable to get to it.
30-30: Williams hits a forehand long again.
30-15: Williams hits a brilliant drop shot winner.
15-15: Keys shanks a forehand way wide.
0-15: Williams hits long.
Williams hits another ball long for 4-4 on serve.
40-30: Keys nets a forehand.
40-15: Williams commits another forehand error, hitting wide.
30-15: Williams hits another forehand long.
15-15: Williams nets a rally forehand.
0-15: Keys hits a backhand way long.
Williams holds for 4-3 with an unreturned serve to keep the match on serve.
40-15: Keys nets another forehand.
30-15: Keys nets a forehand.
15-15: Williams hits a forehand out.
15-0: Williams hits a big ace.
Williams breaks with a questionable call and then a framed forehand from Keys for 3-3.
40-AD: Williams asks for a mark to be checked after the point and it is confirmed, Keys hit a forehand wide.
40-40: Keys double faults again with a netted serve.
40-30: Keys hits a huge double fault, framed way wide.
40-15: Williams cannot return a big serve from Keys.
30-15: Williams frames a forehand return.
15-15: Williams loses the long rally of big hitting with a backhand error.
0-15: Keys get an unlucky net cord causing a wide forehand.
Williams holds off a wide backhand from Keys to keep the margin to one break with Keys up 3-2.
40-30: Williams nets an easy forehand approach shot.
40-15: Keys hits a huge forehand return down the line.
40-0: Williams blasts an ace down the middle.
30-0: Nice combination of big serve and forehand winner from Williams.
15-0: Williams hits an unreturned serve.
Keys holds with her third ace of the game to go up 3-1.
40-30: Keys blasts a big forehand winner crosscourt.
30-30: Keys nets a forehand.
30-15: Keys hits another ace down the middle.
15-15: Keys hits a big ace down the middle.
0-15: Keys hits a forehand passing shot wide.
Williams gets on the board courtesy of a long backhand return from her younger opponent. Keys will serve to keep her early break lead up 2-1 in the first set.
40-15: Williams nets a forehand passing shot off of a terrific approach from Keys.
40-0: Keys hits another backhand into the net.
30-0: Keys hits a forehand into the net.
15-0: Keys hits a forehand long.
Keys holds to go up 2-0 with a winner.
40-30: Keys cracks another ace out wide.
30-30: Williams hits a forehand winner.
30-15: Keys blasts another ace out wide.
15-15: Keys blasts an ace down the middle.
0-15: Keys struggles to get back a return and hits out.
Keys breaks Williams at love with a forehand into the net from the elder American to put Keys up 1-0 to start.
0-40: Williams nets a forehand to bring up three break points for Keys.
0-30: Keys unleashes a big forehand winner down the line.
0-15: Williams nets a backhand during a rally.
Serena Williams won the toss and elected to serve.
Serena Williams and Madison Keys walk on to Center Court in Rome.
With both players possessing huge hitting games and monstrous serves, this match is bound to be filled with many winners and some unforced errors as well. With clay defusing both players' power, Keys' weapons are lessened, giving an edge to Williams and her more all-around game. With Keys being in the biggest final of her career, expect some nerves from the 21-year-old, but she should feel at home relatively quickly. Despite the younger American's brilliant week and Williams' 0-2 record in finals this year, expect the world number one to come out firing and claim a fourth Italian Open title and put herself in good stead to tie Steffi Graff's major count at the French Open in a few weeks time.
While Keys may being playing in her first Internazionali BNL d'Italia final, the big-serving American is no stranger to finals, having already played in two title matches prior to this. The world number 24 took her first WTA title in 2014 in Eastbourne, where she battled past Angelique Kerber for a maiden title. Nearly a year later, Keys again reached a final with Kerber, this time losing the Family Circle Cup showpiece to her German rival in another grueling three setter. This will be Keys' first final on red clay and her biggest one yet, having made the final on the green clay of Charleston last year.
Despite clay arguably being Williams' worst surface, the top seed has been able to find herself in a fourth Rome final, despite not playing a single clay court match prior to this week all year. Williams first reached the final in Rome in 2002, scraping past arch rival Justine Henin 7-6, 6-4 for a first Italian Open title. 11 years later, the 21-time Grand Slam champion made her second final in the Eternal City, this time easing past two-time major champion Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-3 to claim the 2013 title. Williams backed it up the year later, breaking Italian hearts as the world number one cruised past hometown girl Sara Errani for a third title in the Italian capital. Last year, the three-time French Open champion was forced to withdraw after one match with a wrist injury.
While Williams and Keys have only met twice, the two countrywomen have faced off at two of the biggest stages in tennis, once in the semifinals of the Australian Open and once in the fourth round at the US Open, both in 2015. After bursting onto the scene as a big serving youngster last year at the Australian Open, Keys went up against her idol and world number one Serena Williams. Looking for a spot in the final, both women played spectacular tennis, blasting huge serves throughout, with the elder American--Williams--eventually prevailing 7-6, 6-2 for a spot in the final. Later that year, on a faster hard court at the US Open, with Williams in search of a calendar year Grand Slam, the 21-time major winner kept up her perfect record over Keys, winning easier this time around, 6-3, 6-3.
On the bottom half of the draw, Keys opened up against former French Open semifinalist Andrea Petkovic. Keys breezed past Petkovic, defeating the former top 10 player, 6-4, 6-1. In the following round, the young American faced two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, with Keys winning the battle of the big-hitters, topping the Czech 6-3, 6-4. Next up, the world number 24 fought past heavy hitting Hungarian Timea Babos to reach her first quarterfinal in Rome. In the last eight, Keys battled past another Czech, Barbora Strycova, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to achieve her career best result in the Italian capital. Looking for a spot in the biggest final of her career, the American pulled off the upset, sending third seed Garbiñe Muguruza packing and Keys into a first WTA Premier 5 final.
Williams began her tournament not having played since a surprising fourth-round loss to Svetlana Kuznetsova in Miami. Not having played a clay court match all year, Williams began strongly, putting aside German Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-4, 6-3 to get her first win on the dirt under her belt. In the next round, the three-time Italian Open champion fended off the challenge of fellow American Christina McHale 7-6, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals. In a rematch of their aforementioned fourth round match in Miami, the 21-time Grand Slam champion came out firing, storming past Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-0 to reach the last four in The Eternal City. There in the semifinals, the world number one made her fourth final at the Foro Italico, brushing aside unseeded Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu to reach her third final of 2016.
Welcome to live coverage of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia final! My name is Thomas Cluck, and I am happy to be bringing you point-by-point coverage of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia final here on VAVEL. From now until the match begins at 8:00 am ET, news and notes will be above to get you up to speed. Be sure to return at match time for point-by-point updates!
