Rome Open WTA Final Round-up | Elina Svitolina completes three-peat of titles in Rome after defeating Coco Gauff

It is another title at Foro Italico for Elina Svitolina. She defeated a valiant and resilient Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2 to make it a hat-trick of titles at the Rome Open.

In an extraordinary final, both players provided quality, grit and real entertainment. There were twists and turns around every corner and unpredictable events which kept the crowd entertained. As much as Gauff fought and battled, Svitolina proved to be too good, and subsequently was awarded with WTA 1000 glory.

It was Gauff in the early stages who was in command. Svitolina did not look completely settled on court as Gauff strode into a 4-2 lead. The tables turned after the Ukrainian won four consecutive games to seal the first set.

An emotional Gauff recollected herself ready for an extremely mentally taxing second set. Break point after break point came but the reigning Roland Garros champion held firm. After 10 holds, Gauff finally got the breakthrough. Her efforts serving the second set out were hindered as the former world number three broke back to force a tiebreak. Gauff took command and forced a third set.

After four holds, Svitolina seized the initiative with a double break. Gauff could not force a way back into the tie as she had done in numerous matches these past two weeks, seeing Svitolina seal a third win against her in 2026 and claim a fifth WTA 1000 title, the first since 2018.

Gauff came out of the blocks the faster. She began proceedings with a break, clinching her third break point for an early statement of intent. She then backed it up with a hold to love.

Svitolina got on the board before breaking back. The Ukrainian was by far the second bets player on court, and that would be proven as Gauff got ahead once more after finding another way on the Svitolina serve. She would have three more opportunities two games later, but this time Svitolina slammed the door shut.

Gauff would then serve to move one away from the set. However, two double faults proved to be costly from a 40-0 lead. Svitolina forced deuce before making it five points on the bounce to level affairs at a key time. The two-time Grand Slam champion then missed another three break points for a second game in a row. Svitolina, who had spurned a 40-15 lead, took the lead for the first time in the match.

From 4-2 down after saving six break points, Svitolina completed the comeback in the first set with her first set point. It was gifted to her by Gauff who was close to tears leaving the court while whacking her racket against her head.

Gauff got her emotions in check after having some time to reset, but the momentum was firmly on the Svitolina side of the court. She made it five games in a row in a tight service game. It could have been six if Gauff did not come in clutch and save her first break point of the match. She grinded out a valuable hold before finding herself behind to the 31-year-old.

The American levelled but found it a struggle. She crawled over the line after having yet more break points. She was getting bailed out by her first serve, but the second was getting capitalised on numerous times by Svitolina.

The four-time Masters 1000 champion took the initiative with a fifth consecutive hold. This would become six after Gauff overcame yet another deuce, coming from break point down to tie the scoreline at 3C

A brace of holds to love bumped the score up to 4-4. Gauff then created her first break point in the second set. If she took it, then the 22-year-old would be serving for the set. Unfortunately, she slammed a backhand into the net, and it was her opponent who edged one game from triumph.

Gauff made it 10 service games in a row in a compelling and enthralling second set. Then, the breakthrough finally came. Gauff nabbed a break at a key time, but instantly after Svitolina converted her first break point in the set. This forced a tiebreak for the second set.

A break point was saved by Gauff right at the start of the third set before a couple of games later she saw a chance of her own shut down.

The inevitable breakthrough did eventually come, and it was the two-time champion who delivered it. With her first break point at 15-40, she clinically converted before compounding it with a hold to send her two games away from the title.

More break points came in the direction of the seventh seed as she got the crowd off their chairs. The first two were dealt with, but a crucial third one created in deuce seemed to be the final nail in the coffin for Gauff.

Svitolina would now have the chance to serve it out. It would not be easy with Gauff creating three break points. Then, the three consecutive championship points arose. Svitolina took the third one before flinging her racket into the air in celebration after completing a stunning final of tennis. More Rome Open final misery for Gauff, but it is a hat-trick of triumphs at Foro Italico for Svitolina.