Rome (Italy), May 17 (IANS) Home favourite Jasmine Paolini made history at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, ensuring that for the first time in four decades, the Italian International has an Italian champion in women’s singles here on Saturday. Paolini thrilled the partisan crowd in Rome as the No. 6 seed Paolini defeated No. 4 seed Coco Gauff of the United States 6-4, 6-2 in the final at Campo Centrale to claim a historic title.

Paolini is the first woman to prevail at her country’s biggest event since Raffaella Reggi in 1985, 40 years ago. Also, Reggi won the title when the event was held in Taranto, meaning Paolini was the first woman to win the Internazionali BNL d’Italia title in her national capital of Rome during the Open Era (since 1968). She thus became the third Italian woman in the Open Era to reach the Rome final after coming from 4-1 down in the first set, saving two set points, to defeat Peyton Stearns 7-5, 6-1 in 1 hour and 39 minutes.

In the summit clash between two Top-5 players, Paolini needed just 1 hour and 29 minutes to best Gauff and pick up her second career WTA 1000 title, following her triumph in Dubai in 2024. This is Paolini’s third WTA singles title overall — and her first on clay.

Gauff won their first two career meetings, but those were on hard court, and Paolini has taken control of their rivalry on clay. Paolini beat Gauff for the first time last month in Stuttgart on indoor clay, and now she has backed up that win on the dirt in Rome, levelling their overall head-to-head at 2-2.

Paolini is now projected to return to her career-high ranking of World No. 4 on Monday, just in time for a likely Top 4 placement in the Roland Garros seedings. Gauff, meanwhile, will still rise back to her career-high ranking of No. 2 on Monday.

Paolini is not done yet this fortnight, either. She will go for the sweep when she and Sara Errani attempt to defend their doubles title in Sunday’s doubles final.

If Paolini wins that match, too, she will be the first player to sweep the singles and doubles titles at a WTA 1000 event since Vera Zvonareva at the 2009 Indian Wells.

–IANS

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