"The moment Iga Swiatek decided she's winning this" - Fans react to Aryna Sabalenka almost hitting Pole with powerful smash during Italian Open final

Iga Swiatek defeated arch-rival Aryna Sabalenka to claim the 2024 Italian Open title. During the final match, Swiatek nearly got hit by a powerful smash from Sabalenka but managed to dodge it. The incident garnered numerous reactions from fans.

In a match that lasted 1 hour and 29 minutes, Swiatek went on a rampage from the start as she defeated the Belarusian 6-2, 6-3. Swiatek carried her incredible form this season and defeated players such as Yulia Putintseva, Bernarda Pera, Angelique Kerber, Madison Keys, and Coco Gauff in the event to clinch a spot in the finals. This is the third Italian Open title of her career.

After the Madrid Open loss, Aryna Sabalenka may have sought revenge in the Italian Open final against the Pole, but she ultimately faced the same outcome.

However, an incident during the match became a head-turner on social media. In the second set, Sabalenka served, and her opponent returned it with a forehand. The 26-year-old then delivered a powerful smash that narrowly missed hitting Swiatek, who swiftly dodged the ball.

A fan jokingly commented that Iga Swiatek decided to win the game at this point.

"This was the moment Iga decided she was winning this"

A group of fans, described the shot as a "missile," referring to when Pavvy G teasingly commented on Novak Djokovic's water bottle accident.

"that was a literal missile." A fan wrote

"And iga then gets hit with what can only be described as a missile …" another fan wrote.

"is that the missile pavvy g was talking about?" Another fan referred to Pavvy G's statements from the past.

A fan highlighted the shriek that Swiatek gave out when the ball almost hit her.

"The shriek that Iga Swiatek had when Aryna Sabalenka’s frustrated smash almost hit her, though it was a winner, was definitely quite a highlight," wrote the fan.

One fan jokingly added a video of Sabalenka threatening to finish off the Pole with a throat-slashing gesture.

The Italian Open triumph gave Swiatek her 10th WTA 1000 title and her fourth this year. Before this, Swiatek won the Madrid Open, the Qatar Open, and Indian Wells this year.

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Iga Swiatek wants some time before leaving for Paris

Iga Swiatek wants to have a break before entering the French Open. The 22-year-old revealed in a press conference that her recovery is important before the Majors and that she wanted to stay longer in Rome.

"For sure, recovery is important and necessary before a Grand Slam. Yeah, I'll not travel tomorrow because I have also my friends here, so I want to stay here a bit longer. Then we'll go to Paris. I have also some appointments there to do. It's not like I'm going to have full time off." [2:50]

Iga Swiatek defeated Karolina Muchova in the final of the French Open last year and will look to win her third consecutive clay court Major.