In front of a roaring home crowd at the historic Stadio Foro Italico, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini delivered a spectacular performance to claim the championship title. The 29-year-old Italian star defeated American sensation Coco Gauff in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, ending a 40-year wait for an Italian woman to win the Rome title.
The electric support from the Italian crowd, which included President Sergio Mattarella, seemed to energize Paolini throughout the match. She sealed the biggest victory of her career in just 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Paolini’s triumph marks a historic moment—she becomes the first Italian woman to win the tournament since Raffaella Reggi in 1985, and only the fourth ever to do so since the event began in 1930.
In an emotional post-match interview, Paolini said “I still can’t believe it. I used to come here as a little girl to watch the matches, and now I’m standing here holding the trophy. It’s beyond anything I ever imagined.”
As a result of this victory, Paolini will rise to a career-high No. 4 in the WTA world rankings starting Monday. That ranking also secures her a top-four seed in the upcoming French Open—another significant milestone.
But Paolini’s journey in Rome isn’t over yet. On Sunday, she will also compete in the women’s doubles final alongside partner Sara Errani. They’ll face the formidable duo of Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens.
Adding to Italy’s hopes for a memorable weekend, in the men’s singles final, local favorite Jannik Sinner is set to take on Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz—offering another shot at glory for the host nation.
