Elina Svitolina captured her third Italian Open title on Saturday after defeating Coco Gauff in a dramatic three-set final in Rome.
Svitolina battled for nearly three hours before emerging with a 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2 victory to claim her fifth WTA 1000 title and first at that level since 2018.
The final lived up to expectations as both players produced a high-quality contest filled with momentum swings, long rallies and emotional moments. Gauff appeared in control early, taking a 4-2 lead in the opening set as Svitolina struggled to settle into the match. However, the Ukrainian responded by winning four straight games to steal the set. Gauff regrouped in the second set and showed resilience under pressure. After both players traded holds in a tense battle, the reigning French Open champion forced a tiebreak and dominated it to level the match and push the contest into a deciding third set. But Svitolina raised her level once again in the final set, securing a double break to take control before eventually sealing victory in front of an energetic Rome crowd.
The 31-year-old’s route to the title was particularly impressive, with wins over Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek and Gauff in consecutive matches. The victory also saw Svitolina make history as the first Ukrainian player in the Open Era to win 20 WTA singles titles.
Svitolina, who returned to tennis after giving birth to her daughter Skai, said the title carried special meaning.
She described the victory as an inspiration for mothers around the world and said she continues to draw motivation from representing Ukraine during difficult times.
The Rome triumph further strengthened Svitolina’s reputation as one of the strongest clay-court players on tour. She now holds a perfect 8-0 record in WTA clay-court finals and became the oldest woman to win three or more titles at a single WTA 1000 event, surpassing a previous mark held by Serena Williams.
With Roland Garros set to begin later this month, Svitolina heads into Paris as one of the form players on the women’s tour and a serious contender for the French Open title
