Serena Williams defeats Sara Errani 6-3, 6-0 to win Italian Open for the third time

Serena Williams holds the Italian Open trophy having defeated Sara Errani 6-3,6-0 on Sunday May 18, 2014. PHOTO/AP

Serena Williams kept the crowd from being a factor in a 6-3, 6-0 victory over 10th-seeded Sara Errani to win the Italian Open for the third time Sunday.

Errani was bidding to become the first Italian to win the tournament in nearly 30 years but the top-ranked Williams quickly took control in both sets.

Williams had a left thigh problem last week that prompted her to withdraw before her quarterfinal match at the Madrid Open but now she appears back on track for the French, which starts next Sunday. “I’m not 100 percent but I’m just kind of going on adrenaline,” the top-ranked American said.

Williams’ other Rome titles came in 2002 and last year — and she went on to win the French Open on both occasions.

Organizers attempted to whip up patriotic fervor by having the Italian anthem sung before the players walked out onto the court, and fans continuously chanted “Sara, Sara” to try and encourage Errani in an atmosphere that more resembled a Davis Cup or Fed Cup setting. But Williams jumped out to a 3-0 lead and while Errani had a few chances to get back into the first set, Williams overpowered the Italian with her serve, she had seven aces to Errani’s none, and overall attacking game.

Sara Errani becomes the the first Italian runner-up in the tournament since Raffaella Reggi took the 1985 title in Taranto.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press