2021 Italian Open – Women's singles

Iga Świątek defeated Karolína Plíšková in the final, 6–0, 6–0 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 2021 Italian Open. It was her first WTA 1000 singles title, and the 13 points Świątek lost in the championship match is the fewest on record in a WTA 1000-level final (Serena Williams previously held the record, from the 2015 Miami Open final). This was the first WTA Tour singles final to be resolved with a 'double bagel' scoreline since Simona Halep defeated Anastasija Sevastova at the 2016 Bucharest Open, and was just the tenth such final in WTA Tour history. With the win, Świątek broke into the top 10 of the WTA rankings for the first time. Both finalists saved match points in prior rounds – Świątek saved two match points in her third round match against Barbora Krejčíková, whilst Plíšková saved three match points in her quarterfinal match against Jeļena Ostapenko.

This was Serena Williams' last appearance in Rome, which was ended by the hands of Nadia Podoroska in the straight sets loss in the second round. The loss also ended Williams' 21-match winning streak in the tournament dating back to 2012. The streak includes three Italian Open titles. The last loss before this tournament was in 2010 against Jelena Janković, despite Williams having a match point in the final set.

Simona Halep was the defending champion, but retired due to a left calf muscle tear in the second round against Angelique Kerber.

Seeds
The top nine seeds received a bye into the second round. • 🇦🇺 Ashleigh Barty (quarterfinals, retired)

• 🇯🇵 Naomi Osaka (second round)

• 🇷🇴 Simona Halep (second round, retired)

• 🇺🇸 Sofia Kenin (second round)

• 🇺🇦 Elina Svitolina (quarterfinals)

• 🇨🇦 Bianca Andreescu (withdrew)

• 🇧🇾 Aryna Sabalenka (third round)

• 🇺🇸 Serena Williams (second round)

• 🇨🇿 Karolína Plíšková (final)

• Belinda Bencic (first round)

• 🇨🇿 Petra Kvitová (second round)

• 🇪🇸 Garbiñe Muguruza (third round)

• 🇺🇸 Jennifer Brady (second round, withdrew)

• 🇧🇪 Elise Mertens (first round)

• 🇵🇱 Iga Świątek (champion)

• 🇬🇧 Johanna Konta (first round)

• Maria Sakkari (second round)

Seeds
• # 🇺🇸 Sloane Stephens (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

• # 🇫🇷 Kristina Mladenovic (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

• # 🇩🇪 Laura Siegemund (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

• # 🇫🇷 Alizé Cornet (qualified)

• # 🇷🇴 Patricia Maria Țig (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

• # Hsieh Su-wei (first round)

• # 🇬🇧 Heather Watson (first round)

• # 🇺🇸 Bernarda Pera (qualified)

• # 🇨🇦 Leylah Annie Fernandez (first round)

• # Polona Hercog (qualified)

• # 🇷🇴 Irina-Camelia Begu (first round)

• # 🇷🇺 Anastasia Potapova (qualifying competition)

• # 🇺🇦 Marta Kostyuk (qualified)

• # 🇦🇺 Ajla Tomljanović (qualified)

• # 🇯🇵 Misaki Doi (first round)

• # Tamara Zidanšek (qualified)

Qualifiers
• # Tamara Zidanšek

• # 🇷🇺 Vera Zvonareva

• # 🇦🇺 Ajla Tomljanović

• # 🇫🇷 Alizé Cornet

• # 🇺🇸 Christina McHale

• # 🇺🇦 Marta Kostyuk

• # Polona Hercog

• # 🇺🇸 Bernarda Pera

Lucky losers
• # 🇫🇷 Kristina Mladenovic

• # 🇩🇪 Laura Siegemund

• # 🇺🇸 Sloane Stephens

• # 🇷🇴 Patricia Maria Țig

Seeds
The following are the seeded players. Seedings are based on WTA rankings as of 26 April 2021. Rankings and points before are as of 10 May 2021.

Other entrants
The following players received wild cards into the main singles draw:
 * 🇮🇹 Elisabetta Cocciaretto
 * 🇫🇷 Caroline Garcia
 * 🇮🇹 Camila Giorgi
 * 🇮🇹 Martina Trevisan
 * 🇺🇸 Venus Williams

The following players received entry using a protected ranking:
 * 🇰🇿 Yaroslava Shvedova
 * 🇨🇳 Zheng Saisai

The following players received entry from the singles qualifying draw:
 * 🇫🇷 Alizé Cornet
 * Polona Hercog
 * 🇺🇦 Marta Kostyuk
 * 🇺🇸 Christina McHale
 * 🇺🇸 Bernarda Pera
 * 🇦🇺 Ajla Tomljanović
 * Tamara Zidanšek
 * 🇷🇺 Vera Zvonareva

The following players received entry as lucky losers:
 * 🇫🇷 Kristina Mladenovic
 * 🇩🇪 Laura Siegemund
 * 🇺🇸 Sloane Stephens
 * 🇷🇴 Patricia Maria Țig

Withdrawals

 * Before the tournament
 * 🇨🇦 Bianca Andreescu → replaced by 🇫🇷 Kristina Mladenovic
 * 🇧🇾 Victoria Azarenka → replaced by 🇵🇱 Magda Linette
 * Kiki Bertens → replaced by Anastasija Sevastova
 * 🇹🇳 Ons Jabeur → replaced by Jil Teichmann
 * 🇪🇪 Anett Kontaveit → replaced by 🇪🇸 Sara Sorribes Tormo
 * 🇷🇺 Svetlana Kuznetsova → replaced by 🇺🇸 Shelby Rogers
 * 🇨🇿 Karolína Muchová → replaced by 🇺🇸 Sloane Stephens
 * 🇷🇺 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova → replaced by 🇷🇴 Patricia Maria Țig
 * 🇰🇿 Elena Rybakina → replaced by 🇰🇿 Yaroslava Shvedova
 * Donna Vekić → replaced by 🇦🇷 Nadia Podoroska
 * 🇺🇸 Venus Williams → replaced by 🇩🇪 Laura Siegemund
 * 🇺🇦 Dayana Yastremska → replaced by Jeļena Ostapenko


 * During the tournament
 * 🇺🇸 Jennifer Brady

Retirements

 * 🇦🇺 Ashleigh Barty
 * Simona Halep
 * 🇺🇸 Alison Riske