Jasmine Paolini Makes History at the Italian Open
Jasmine Paolini, driven by the fervor of the local fans, won the Italian Open, defeating Coco Gauff with a score of 6-4, 6-2. This triumph marks a significant milestone in the history of the tournament, becoming the first Italian tennis player to win the title in 40 years.
Expectation grows for Italian tennis, as Jannik Sinner will face Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s final on Sunday. If Sinner achieves victory, Italy could celebrate a historic double in the tournament.
The last time an Italian woman won the Open was in 1985, with Raffaella Reggi. As for the men, Adriano Panatta was the last to lift the trophy in 1976.
Paolini not only shone in singles, but also reached the doubles final alongside Sara Errani. They will face Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens on Sunday, seeking a second title for Italy.
The support for Paolini was unconditional, with the presence of the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, at the women’s final. The stands were flooded with Italian flags and the cry of “Vai Jasmine” resounded throughout the match.
Paolini, currently ranked number 5 in the world, demonstrated her high level after being runner-up at the French Open and Wimbledon, in addition to leading Italy to the Billie Jean King Cup title last year. On Monday, she will rise to number 4 in the ranking, which will improve her position for the French Open.
Gauff, champion of the 2023 US Open, struggled with unforced errors and double faults. This is the second time in two clay court tournaments that Gauff has finished as runner-up, after losing the final of the Madrid Open two weeks ago.
Paolini had already defeated Gauff in a clay court event in Stuttgart, Germany, in April.
Monica Seles in 1990 was the last woman to win the Rome singles and doubles titles in the same year.
