Svitolina beats Gauff to win third Italian Open title
Rome, May 17
Seventh seed Elina Svitolina battled past third seed Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 after two hours and 49 minutes in the women's singles final, capturing her third Italian Open title on Saturday.
Svitolina advanced to the final after defeating second seed Elena Rybakina and fourth seed Iga Swiatek in consecutive rounds. Facing last year's runner-up Gauff, the Ukrainian found herself under pressure early and trailed 4-2 in the opening set.
The turning point came in the eighth game, when Gauff double-faulted twice after building a 40-0 lead, allowing Svitolina to break back. The Ukrainian then saved three break points in the ninth game to hold serve before taking the set 6-4, reported Xinhua.
The second set turned into a tight battle. Gauff earned a crucial break in the 11th game, but Svitolina broke back immediately when the American served for the set, forcing a tiebreak. Gauff raised her level in the tiebreak and claimed it 7-3 to level the match at one set apiece.
Svitolina regained control in the deciding set by breaking in the fifth and seventh games. Serving for the championship, she saved three break points before sealing victory with a backhand volley. The triumph marked her third singles title in Rome and the 20th WTA singles title of her career.
"Definitely was an extremely tough battle," Svitolina said after her win. "I'm very happy with the way I could handle my nerves, not only today but also throughout this tournament. I think the two weeks, it's been tough, but I'm very happy with the way I've been playing, the way my body been reacting on these tough matches. Just very proud of the effort."
In the men's draw, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner completed his rain-suspended semifinal against seventh seed Daniil Medvedev on Saturday, winning 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to reach Sunday's final, where he will face 23rd seed Casper Ruud.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, Gauff should have won this. She had Svitolina on the ropes in the first set—that 40-0 lead in the eighth game was golden. Two double faults cost her the set, and that's just not good enough at this level. But Svitolina's experience showed in the decider. Jannik Sinner vs. Casper Ruud in the men's final should be thrilling too!
Third Italian Open title for Svitolina—what a legend! She beat Rybakina and Swiatek back-to-back, which is no joke. Gauff has a bright future, but today belonged to the Ukrainian. Also, happy to see Sinner through to the final; he's been in great form. 🇮🇹
Great win for Svitolina, but I wish we had more Indian representation in the women's singles. Our players like Ankita Raina and Sania Mirza have done well in doubles, but singles is still a struggle. Anyway, inspiring match—especially the way she saved three break points while serving for the championship! 💪
What a thriller! I was on the edge of my seat during that second-set tiebreak. Gauff's power is impressive, but Svitolina's defence is world-class. The way she absorbs pace and redirects is something our Indian players could learn from. Also, Sinner vs. Ruud should be a cracker—Go Sinner! 😄
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.