Jasmine Paolini beats Coco Gauff in Italian Open final to become first home winner in 40 years
Jasmine Paolini beat Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 in the Italian Open women's singles final on Saturday to become the first Italian player to win the tournament in 40 years, before repeating the feat in the doubles final on Sunday.
In doing so, Paolini became the first woman since Monica Seles in 1990 to win both the singles and doubles titles at the Italian Open, and the first player to do so in any WTA 1000 series tournament since Vera Zvonareva at Indian Wells in 2009.
With Italian President Sergio Mattarella in attendance for the match against Gauff, Paolini fed off the energy of the home crowd and looked a class above her opponent to claim what is arguably the biggest win of her career.
'It doesn't seem real to me,' the 29-year-old said, per AP. 'I came here as a kid to see this tournament but winning it and holding up this trophy wasn't even in my dreams.'
Neither player could hold their serve across the first three games, but Paolini won the fourth to take a 3-1 lead and was in command for the remainder of the set.
The Italian then broke her opponent twice at the beginning of the second set to take a 3-0 lead, before Gauff broke back.
But Paolini remained composed, re-establishing her three-game lead in the very next game and cruising through the rest of the set, eventually clinching the victory with a big serve down the middle on her second championship point and raising her arms in celebration.
Paolini, runner-up at the French Open and Wimbledon last year, is the first Italian winner at the Italian Open since Raffaella Reggi won the women's singles tournament in 1985. She is only the fourth Italian winner overall since the tournament began in 1930.
The victory means she will move up to fourth in the world rankings ahead of the French Open, which begins on Sunday, May 25.
'Maybe I could have served better and put more balls in the court,' said Gauff, who had 55 unforced errors and seven double faults. 'I definitely could and can. But she played to win today and she deserved to win.'
'With the double faults, it's something I know I have to improve,' she added.
Then, on Sunday, Paolini and Sara Errani, the reigning Olympic champions, twice came from 4-0 down to win the women's doubles final 6-4, 7-5 against Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens.
Men's world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is hoping to complete a first ever Italian sweep of the Rome singles titles when he faces Carlos Alcaraz later on Sunday. The last Italian man to win the tournament was Adriano Panatta in 1976.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Luciano Spalletti's abrupt sacking leaves Italy with much reflecting to do
It was professional and dignified, absurd and unprecedented. Luciano Spalletti appeared for his pre-match press conference on Sunday afternoon. He sat down with the forlorn hope of at least taking a couple of questions on Italy's opponents Moldova and the line-up he had in mind for the game in Reggio Emilia. One did come — about the compatibility of strikers Mateo Retegui and Lorenzo Lucca, and whether Bologna winger Riccardo Orsolini has it in him to play false nine. But it was tokenistic. Spalletti knew the only line of inquiry regarded his future. Advertisement An hour before he was due in the auditorium at Italy's training base in Coverciano, a newsflash made it clear this would be a press conference like no other. Sky Italia's yellow ticker reported the breaking news of Spalletti's intention to resign after the Moldova game. It was true he was leaving. But it turned out reports of his inclination to quit were false. Spalletti had already been sacked by Gabriele Gravina, the president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). It was a bizarre scene. Why was Spalletti still in charge? Usually in these cases, a statement is released, an interim coach promoted and the floor handed to Gravina to explain the decision. But Gravina had already spoken in Parma at the Festival della Serie A that morning. He had eulogised Spalletti as 'extraordinary, a noble soul… the finest person I've ever met in football, a gentleman'. Not only for accepting the job in the first place but the way he took the news of being relieved of it. Spalletti's wish had been to continue after Friday's defeat by Norway in Oslo when Italy found themselves 3-0 down at half-time. The 66-year-old did not want to go out like that, and so an awkward compromise was reached whereby he would get to put Italy back on course in their World Cup qualifying campaign — something he achieved with a 2-0 win over Moldova on Tuesday — and then graciously break his contract without seeking a payout and return to his vineyard in the rolling Tuscan hills. Unless Juventus or Fiorentina decide to make him an offer in the coming weeks, Spalletti will finally get to have the sabbatical he left Napoli to go on in 2023. Spalletti was on his farm, La Rimessa, when Gravina picked up the phone and dialled his number that summer. He had just led Napoli to their first league title in 33 years and wanted more time with the family. But his country called, and Gravina would not take 'no' for an answer. He was desperate and rightly considered Spalletti the best man for the job. Advertisement Roberto Mancini had quit — supposedly after having second thoughts about the reshuffle of his staff imposed on him by the FIGC. Mancini was instead clearing the way to accept an offer from Saudi Arabia, a decision he now regrets. 'Mancio' did not leave Spalletti a great inheritance. He left Italy with little chance of catching England in their qualifying group for Euro 2024. They had lost to Gareth Southgate's side in Naples and Spalletti was immediately under pressure to beat Ukraine to the runners-up spot. An extreme generational transition was under way, too. Barely anyone from the team that had become European champions in 2021 remained. Giorgio Chiellini had retired after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar. Leonardo Bonucci was in his twilight and, after an acrimonious divorce from Juventus, ended his career at Union Berlin and Fenerbahce. Arsenal's signing of Declan Rice cut Jorginho's minutes. Marco Verratti, still only 32, was in Qatar. Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi moved to Toronto FC. Leonardo Spinazzola struggled to come back from the snapped Achilles he suffered nearly four years ago, while Ciro Immobile — the most prolific striker of his generation in Italy — later followed Bonucci to Turkey and joined Besiktas. Spalletti, in other words, had to figure a lot out in a short space of time. Drama was never far away. The police interrupted one of his first get-togethers after a paparazzo, Fabrizio Corona, blew the whistle on a betting scandal that led to long-term bans for Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Fagioli. Qualification for the 2024 Euros was not straightforward either. Ukraine, for instance, believed they deserved a penalty in the 93rd minute of a 0-0 draw, crying foul after Bryan Cristante took out Mykhailo Mudryk. The tension was unceasingly high. Italy's group at the Euros featured Spain and Croatia. A soft opener against Albania in Dortmund was instantly complicated by the sort of mistake Federico Dimarco repeated in this season's Champions League final. Although Italy came back to win, Spalletti had doubts about the same XI's ability to cope with Spain's speed and intensity. Nevertheless, he tried to play them at their own game a few days later. Rather than adapt according to his gut feeling, he treated the game as a test. His team not only flunked it as he had foreseen, but their confidence in his game model was also shattered. Spalletti found himself in a difficult position. In order to play at the rhythm he considered necessary to compete, he had to rotate. But wholesale change looked punitive, and change was also the enemy of chemistry. A vicious cycle began. In Leipzig, Italy dramatically made it to the knockouts with a 98th-minute equaliser against Croatia. It was a moment of euphoria and had the potential to re-energise the group and make the players believe again. Rather than enjoy it, Spalletti went on a mole hunt in the press conference that followed, seizing on an apparently innocuous question about a pact between him and the players, which he considered a damaging leak from inside the camp. Advertisement Elimination came shortly afterwards against Switzerland in Berlin. It was one of the most insipid and emotionless performances ever put on by the national team at a major tournament, the opposite of Italy's display at the same stadium in 2006 when they last won the World Cup. There were, unsurprisingly, calls for Spalletti to go, and he was memorably offended by a foreign journalist who likened the Swiss to a Ferrari and his Italy to a Fiat Panda. Italy's head of communications was told to make a note of the reporter's name for future reference. Gravina rightly felt Spalletti deserved more time. He had only been in the job nine months and had got to work with the players just once in 2024 (the March international break) before the tournament started. Vindication seemed to follow quickly. Italy fell behind after 14 seconds in their first game back after the Euros. Bradley Barcola caught out his club team-mate Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was still wrapping up his gloves at the Parc des Princes. But Italy came back and won 3-1, winning in France for the first time in 70 years. The style with which they played that night also matched the initial expectations of what Spalletti might be able to achieve with the Azzurri. Tonali was back from suspension. Samuele Ricci made the midfield more cerebral. Andrea Cambiaso looked like the picture of a modern hybrid footballer. Strikers Retegui and Moise Kean were beginning to score. Not even the anterior cruciate ligament tears suffered by Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini could stop the blossoming of a new era. Two-nil up against Belgium, only a Lorenzo Pellegrini red card allowed their opponents back into the game to snatch a point. Had Pellegrini stayed on the field, Italy perhaps would have won their Nations League group instead of finishing second on goal difference to France, who beat them 3-1 in the return game at San Siro. It meant playing Germany, not Croatia, in the knockouts. Italy would take the lead in that game at San Siro but lost, and were 3-0 down at half-time in Dortmund, only to stage a heroic but ultimately futile comeback to make it 3-3 on the night. Overall, Spalletti's Italy reflected the worst febrility of his nature, and little of his genius. In the end, this is what disappointed him most. Advertisement A year ago, in the debrief after the Switzerland debacle, he acknowledged a leadership deficit in the post-Chiellini-Bonucci era. His hope was that players like Riccardo Calafiori would fill it. Spalletti wanted others to follow Tonali and Calafiori to the Premier League. Federico Chiesa swiftly did; however, he only started once for Liverpool in the Premier League. Heralded as Italy's next big thing after his goals against Austria and Spain at Euro 2020, Chiesa was overhyped and then badly injured. He has not lived up to expectations. Spalletti has instead had to build around a core of Inter players. One of the excuses he made for Italy's performance at the Euros last summer was that Inter won the league too early and had lost match rhythm going into the tournament. This week, the same players were, by contrast, exhausted after a 59-game season which ended without a treble or a trophy, and with the scars of a 5-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. That Friday's qualifier against Norway came only six days after Munich shows how relentless the football calendar is today. The Champions League has been expanded. The Nations League is bigger. A Club World Cup awaits. Is it any wonder Inter's players look dead on their feet? Alessandro Bastoni was the one who gave the ball away and played Alexander Sorloth onside for Norway's first goal. The second from Antonio Nusa was a worldie. The third figured as the end for Italy and Spalletti, who had not helped himself in the build-up to the game by falling out with Francesco Acerbi, the veteran defender. Spalletti had called him out at the beginning of the international break for not answering a call-up. The wisdom of clashing with a centre-back who has reserved his best performances for Erling Haaland — at a time when Calafiori and Alessandro Buongiorno were out injured — was questionable, as was picking a fight with someone close to the other senior players in the Italy squad, although Spalletti emphatically denied losing the dressing room. When asked if he had been betrayed, Spalletti paused and read out the names of the FIGC executive team in a thankful tone. He then got up and left. The auditorium applauded. The press appreciated his honesty, his self-criticism, the way he fronted up and held himself accountable above anybody else. Spalletti could undoubtedly have handled some situations better. His adaptation to international football was not seamless and his uncompromising ways made life harder. On the one hand, Italy have underperformed relative to the talent available. On the other, the talent is still not what it was in the 1980s and 90s — even though Italy are the current under-17 and under-19 European champions and finished runners-up at the last Under-20 World Cup. Advertisement It is still early days in qualifying for next year's World Cup. Italy have played two of eight games and while overhauling Norway looks difficult, it is not impossible. That said, changing coach is not enough on its own to restore the national team to greatness. The system must change too. And yet the system seems to think everything is fine. Gravina was recently re-elected president of the FIGC with 98 per cent of the vote. When Italian football looks at itself in the mirror, it still apparently likes enough of what it sees to keep the status quo. After all, there were five Italian teams in the Champions League this season, a reward for finishing first in the UEFA coefficient. But the national team remains a source of dissatisfaction, and reflection is needed. More cracks are appearing in the mirror and if missing one World Cup was bad luck, failing to qualify for three in a row would be something else.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
LeBron James, Barack Obama Send Messages to Coco Gauff After French Open Win
LeBron James, Barack Obama Send Messages to Coco Gauff After French Open Win originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The entire world took notice of Cori "Coco" Gauff's run to the 2025 French Open Grand Slam title at Roland Garros after becoming the first bearer of the stars and stripes to win the international tennis event in 10 years. Advertisement Among those to shout out the 21-year-old champ on social media was former president of the United States and avid sports fan Barack Obama. "Congratulations to [Coco Gauff] for an amazing championship at the French Open — the first American singles champion at [Roland Garros] in a decade," Obama posted to his X account on Saturday, June 7. "You make us all proud." Los Angeles Lakers superstar and four-time NBA champion LeBron James echoed Obama's comments by first reposting them, then adding an extra bit of his own praise for his fellow Olympian. "I SECOND THAT!!!" James wrote on X. "Congratulations my fellow flag bearer Coco Gauff 👏👏👏👏 ♥️." Gauff is currently the No. 2 ranked player in women's singles worldwide, though she has held the No. 1 ranking before and her win on the clay in France should position her favorably to regain the moniker. Advertisement She has for years been widely regarded as the successor to the Williams sisters, though more specifically the younger Serena Williams, as the premier female tennis player in the country. Gauff has captured 10 singles titles in her career, including two major championships -- the U.S. Open back in 2023 and the French Open on Saturday. She also owns nine doubles titles, including a French Open championship in 2024. Related: How Much Money Coco Gauff Earns From Winning the French Open This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Coco Gauff Addresses Aryna Sabalenka's 'Emotional' Behavior After French Open
Coco Gauff Addresses Aryna Sabalenka's 'Emotional' Behavior After French Open originally appeared on Athlon Sports. At just 21 years of age, American tennis phenom Coco Gauff bested World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open over the weekend. Advertisement The win made Gauff the first American woman to win the French Open title since Serena Williams did so in 2015. While those around the sports world, such as NBA superstar LeBron James and former U.S. President Barack Obama, praised Gauff, her adversary took the opposite approach when speaking to the media. Following her loss, a dejected Sabalenka attributed Gauff's victory coming as a result of her mistakes and not necessarily due to Gauff's play. She later backtracked on her statement via social media and praised Gauff. The world's No. 2 player made it clear on Monday's "Good Morning America" that she was shocked. "I was a little bit surprised about the comments and everything but I'm gonna give her the benefit of the doubt," Gauff said. "I'm sure it was an emotional day, emotional match. I know she was probably a bit emotional after that match and it was a tough loss." Coco Gauff of the United States kisses the trophy after winning the women's singles final.© Susan Mullane-Imagn Images It was an uncomfortable situation that Gauff clearly handled with grace considering the fact her victory was initially disregarded. Advertisement "I think she won the match not because she played incredible," said Sabalenka. "Just because I made all of those mistakes, if you look from the outside, from kind of easy balls." As a result of the win, Gauff was awarded $2.9 million, and to sweeten the pot, bragging rights over Sabalenka. While Sabalenka seemed to think that Gauff beating her was an anomaly, Gauff is now sporting a 6-5 record against her all-time with a 2-1 record in Grand Slam finals. Needless to say, this could end up being one of tennis' biggest rivalries for years to come. Related: Aryna Sabalenka Facing Backlash for Coco Gauff Message After French Open Loss This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
