Coco Gauff Battles Past Zheng to Reach Italian Open Final

Coco Gauff secures a spot in the Italian Open final after a grueling 3.5-hour win over Zheng Qinwen. Find out what's next for the American tennis star.

Coco Gauff secured a spot in the Italian Open final after a thrilling three-and-a-half-hour match against Qinwen Zheng, winning 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(4). This grueling victory marked Gauff's first final appearance in Rome.

Gauff will face Jasmine Paolini in the final, who defeated Peyton Stearns 7-5, 6-1 in her semifinal match. Paolini's win sets up an exciting matchup against Gauff, with the American leading their head-to-head 2-1, although Paolini won their last encounter on clay in Stuttgart 6-4, 6-3. Gauff's recent form, however, has seen her win 10 of her last 11 matches, making her a formidable opponent.

The Olympic champion overcame a shaky start, recovering from a 5-3 deficit in the first set. She capitalized on Zheng's double faults to win the set in a scrappy affair marked by 35 unforced errors from both players.

FOUGHT HER WAY INTO THE FINAL 👊

After an over 3 hour battle, @CocoGauff rallies her way into the final in Rome defeating Zheng 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6!#IBI25 pic.twitter.com/ICi4zfL1nI

— wta (@WTA) May 15, 2025

Zheng fought back in the second set with an early break but couldn't close out the match. The American ultimately prevailed in the deciding tiebreak, holding her nerve to reach her second consecutive WTA 1000 final.

Jasmine Paolini made history by becoming the first Italian to reach the Italian Open final since Sara Errani in 2014. She secured her spot with a convincing 7-5, 6-1 win over Peyton Stearns in the semifinals.

This milestone marks a significant achievement for Paolini, who will now face Coco Gauff in the final. The match promises to be an exciting encounter between two talented players.