By ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer
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ROME — Elena Rybakina is discovering that her big serve and heavy groundstrokes can do damage on clay courts, too.

The Wimbledon champion was dominating 21-9 with winners when Ukrainian opponent Anhelina Kalinina retired due to a left thigh injury early in the second set of the rain-delayed Italian Open final on Saturday.

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“I can play good on all the surfaces,” Rybakina said. “It’s just maybe for clay I need to be ready more physically and maybe have a lot of preparation.”

It’s been quite a year for Rybakina, who reached the final of the Australian Open, also won an elite title in Indian Wells and was the runner-up in Miami.

“I’m proud that I can maintain this level,” she said. “I can see improvements on the court, physically also. … I think there is still a lot of room to improve.”

On Monday, Rybakina will move up to a career-high No. 4 in the rankings and will be a contender at the French Open, which starts next weekend.

“She’s serving 200 kph (125 mph). She’s also making winners like no one on tour,” Kalinina said. “Anyone can win in Paris, but she has good chances.

“I am sure if she’s going to do like this, maybe new world No. 1 for sure.”

Rybakina was leading 6-4, 1-0, 15-0 when Kalinina called for a trainer and grasped her left leg as she teared up. She then decided she couldn’t continue.

The final began at almost 11 p.m. on Saturday and Rybakina lifted the trophy after midnight on Sunday.

“I’m really sorry that I couldn’t play,” Kalinina said during the awards ceremony as the crowd — which had waited under the rain for hours before the night session started — whistled.

Holger Rune will face Daniil Medvedev in the men’s final on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Rune rallied past Casper Ruud 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2 and Medvedev performed a little celebratory dance after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 7-5 in a semifinal that was suspended twice in the first set for a total of nearly 4½ hours due to rain.

Rybakina earned her biggest title on clay.

Her only other trophy on the surface came in Bucharest in 2019.