Elina Svitolina beats Coco Gauff to win third Italian Open title
Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina claimed her third Italian Open title after defeating American Coco Gauff 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 in a thrilling final in Rome.
The 31-year-old fought back from a 4-2 deficit in the opening set to secure an impressive victory in two hours and 49 minutes.
This latest triumph marks her third success at the prestigious tournament, following previous victories in the Italian capital in 2017 and 2018.
A formidable path to glory
The Ukrainian’s route to the trophy involved navigating a gauntlet of the sport’s elite competitors.
She secured notable three-set victories against world number two Elena Rybakina and third-ranked Iga Swiatek before overcoming the world number four in the showpiece event.
The world number 10 has now enjoyed a third successive victory against her American rival this season.
Those previous triumphs included dominant performances in the Australian Open quarter-finals and the Dubai Tennis Championships semi-finals.
“It’s very hard to believe it’s been eight years since I had this trophy and very pleased with the two weeks here.”
Gauff resilient in defeat
The match began as a stern challenge for the eventual champion, who was broken in the first and fifth games before recovering to establish a 5-4 lead.
A brilliant forehand down the line in the 10th game provided a crucial set point, which was converted when her opponent produced a double fault.
The second set presented a stark contrast, with the American primarily forced onto the defensive.
Despite failing to serve out the set at 6-5 up, the French Open winner successfully navigated a tense tie-break to level the match.
However, the American was ultimately broken in the fifth and seventh games of the decider as her opponent surged to victory.
“Another tough battle between us. I’m on the other side but hopefully one of these days I can get over that.”
The runner-up, who also fell at the final hurdle in Rome last year, was quick to praise her opponent’s formidable run to the title.
“You had an incredible tournament – a lot of long matches against great players so congratulations to you and your team.”
