Simona Halep has reached the Italian Open final after beating Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 4-6 and 6-4.
Sunday's game lasted two hours and 17 minutes in front of 1,000 people who were allowed to attend the last two days of the competition.
In the opening round, Muguruza had to request the help of a physio and was treated in the locker room before returning with a bandage on her left thigh.
However, she put in a mammoth effort, receiving the applause from the stands, but was unable to overcome her opponent.
Halep will face the winner of the duel between Karolina Piskova and Marketa Vondrousova in Monday's final.
Muguruza is expected to travel to Paris for the French Open at Roland Garros where she will be one of the favourites to lift the trophy she won in 2016.