Jasmine Paolini produced a scintillating display as she blew away Coco Gauff in straight sets to end a 40-year wait for a home winner of the women’s singles at the Italian Open.
Roared on by a partisan crowd at the Foro Italico in Rome, including Italian president Sergio Mattarella, Paolini triumphed 6-4 6-2 against Gauff of the United States.
Paolini, who was a surprise finalist at the French Open and Wimbledon last year, wrapped up victory on the clay in one hour and 29 minutes.
The 29-year-old was the first Italian woman to win the tournament since Raffaella Reggi in 1985 and only the fourth overall since its inception in 1930.
Neither player was able to hold serve in the opening three games before Paolini’s nerves eventually settled as she took a 3-1 lead.
That was the point at which Paolini upped the ante as she closed out the set in emphatic fashion.
Paolini raced into a 3-0 lead in the second set with two early breaks before Gauff claimed a break back and then managed to hold her serve.
However, Gauff was unable to wrestle momentum back her way as Paolini swaggered through the remainder of the set. Gauff saved one match point but at 40-30 Paolini, who was born in Bagni di Lucca in Tuscany, sealed victory with an unstoppable serve right down the middle of the court.
Paolini’s victory will ensure she moves up a place to fourth in the world rankings on Monday and obtain a top-four seeding for the French Open, which begins next weekend.
She could yet win both the singles and women’s doubles tournaments, as she and partner Sara Errani take on Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens in Sunday’s final.
Monica Seles was the last woman to win the singles and doubles tournaments in Rome in 1990, while the only player to do so in a WTA 1000 series tournament was Vera Zvonareva at Indian Wells in 2009.
Paolini’s compatriot Jannik Sinner will contend a blockbuster men’s singles final against rival Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday.
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