Jasmine Paolini Defeats Coco Gauff Ends the Italian Open’s 40-Year Wait for a Home Winner

Jasmine Paolini made history on Saturday by defeating world No. 3 Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 to become the first Italian woman to win the Italian Open singles championship in 40 years.

Encouraged by a fervent home crowd at the Foro Italico, the 29-year-old Tuscany native put on a calm and assured performance to capture the largest claycourt title of her career and her second WTA 1000 title after winning in Dubai the previous year. In the Open Era, Paolini was the first Italian to raise the trophy in Rome. When the tournament was held in Taranto in 1985, Raffaella Reggi was the last woman to win the title.

After three games in which neither player could hold serve, Paolini’s nerves finally calmed down and she took a 3-1 lead.

In a forceful manner, Paolini ended the set at that moment, raising the stakes.

In the second set, Paolini took two early breaks to jump out to a 3-0 lead before Gauff returned the break and held her serve.

But Paolini cruised through the rest of the set, and Gauff couldn’t get momentum back her way.

Guaff survived one match point, but Paolini’s strong serve down the middle at 40-30 sealed the win.

If she wins, she will get a top-four seed for the French Open, which starts next weekend, and rise one spot to fourth in the world rankings on Monday.

Vera Zvonareva was the lone player to win a WTA 1000 series tournament at Indian Wells in 2009, and Monica Seles was the only woman to win the singles and doubles competitions in Rome in 1990.

After being Italy’s first home champion in Rome since Reggi, Paolini is confident going into the French Open, which begins on May 25. She will also have the opportunity to win a second title in Rome on Sunday when she and her countrywoman Sara Errani compete in the women’s doubles final.