Jasmine Paolini took advantage of crowd’s support to beat Coco Gauff 6-4 6-2 and become the first home player to win the Italian Open in 40 years.
With top-ranked Jannik Sinner to play Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s final on Sunday, Italy could yet earn their first sweep of the Rome singles titles this weekend.
The last Italian woman to win the tournament was Raffaella Reggi in 1985. The last local man to raise the trophy was Adriano Panatta in 1976.
Paolini and partner Sara Errani are also in the women’s doubles final and will play Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens for that trophy on Sunday.
“It doesn’t seem real to me,” Paolini said. “I came here as a kid to see this tournament but winning it and holding up this trophy wasn’t even in my dreams.
“The crowd has been incredible. It’s been two incredible weeks and it’s not finished yet.”
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Paolini speaks to Sky Sports Tennis after an emotional Italian Open success
With the country’s tennis boom in full force, Italy President Sergio Mattarella attended the woman’s final at the Foro Italico.
Numerous fans held aloft Italian flags and they constantly shouted “Vai Jasmine” (“Go Jasmine”).
Fifth-ranked Paolini was the runner-up at the French Open and Wimbledon and led Italy to the Billie Jean King Cup title last year. She will move up to No 4 in the world rankings on Monday – which will improve her position in the draw for Roland Garros next weekend.
Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, struggled with unforced errors and double faults and finished runner-up for the second time in two tournaments having lost the Madrid Open final two weeks ago to Aryna Sabalenka.
Paolini also beat Gauff at a clay-court event in Stuttgart back in April.
Monica Seles, in 1990, was the last woman to sweep Rome’s singles and doubles titles in the same year.
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