Preview WTA Rome Open Final | Coco Gauff in back-to-back Rome finals as Svitolina targets three-peat at Foro Italico

The latest WTA 1000 event is set to come to a fiery climax. Two-time champion Elina Svitolina will take on last year's finalist Coco Gauff in an intriguing final at Foro Italico. The clash will take place on May 16.

Both players have impressed this week, defeating some respectable names enroute to reaching the final in the Italian capital. It also provides brilliant momentum and confidence ahead of Roland Garros. The second Grand Slam of the year will prove to be another huge tournament with a lot of points up for grabs. There is also up to 1000 points for the champion, a huge total that would bolster their position in the WTA rankings.

In the last four WTA 1000 tournaments on clay, Gauff has featured in the final in three of them. After losing in the finals of the 2025 Madrid Open and Rome Open, Gauff exited early at Caja Magica this year. She has got back on track in Rome, making it back-to-back finals while continuing a positive spell of form following from the Miami Open final defeat.

She has made hard work of it. Grinding out results have been the norm for the American in recent times. From falling a set behind regularly to surviving a match point, admitting that her head was in the locker room at one point. However, somehow she has managed to fight on and battle her way to victory.

There have been so many ups and downs in the Gauff game. Her backhand has been a shining light, but concerns over her forehand and especially second serve leave Gauff handicapped on the big stage. This will need to be fixed ahead of her Roland Garros title defence coming up, with a title in Rome the best possible pathway to Paris.

Her Rome campaign actually began in straightforward circumstances, defeating 19-year-old Tereza Valentova 6-3, 6-4 in a comfortable win. It started to get sketchy against Solana Sierra. The two-time Grand Slam champion responded well after losing the first set, sealing the bagel. She then fell 3-0 and a double break behind before winning six of the final seven games to advance (4-6, 6-0, 6-4).

She was very fortunate to make it past Iva Jovic. A late break by Jovic secured her the first set before breaking to serve it out from 5-3. Gauff incredibly saved a match point enroute to winning four games in a row to level up the tie. She then overcame four consecutive breaks to win the final four games of the match (5-7, 7-5, 6-2). The Madrid Open finalist Mirra Andreeva was the third teenager Gauff faced, and most importantly defeated. For the third match on the spin Gauff fell behind. She would then drop just six games in the next two sets to book her spot in the semi-final (4-6, 6-2, 6-4). Romanian Sorana Cirstea was having a dream run after defeating the world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the third round. Her tournament would end against the 22-year-old (6-4, 6-3) as Gauff marched on into a seventh WTA 1000 final.

Foro Italico has been a fine location for Svitolina in the past. She won the title in 2017 and 2018, defeating Simona Halep both times, to win two of the three WTA 1000 titles won in her career. She has since reached the quarter-final stage three times from her prior six visits but was never able to reach those prior heights.

2026 has really been a special year for the Ukrainian. Her most notable results include the Australian Open semi-final and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships final run, losing to Jessica Pegula in the Middle East as her wait for another WTA 1000 title prolonged. This could end on Saturday if she finds a way past Gauff.

On the way to the final, she has defeated some of the best players in the world while rejuvenating her clay swing which started slowly. She did reach the semi-final stage in Stuttgart before losing at the first hurdle in Madrid.

She was quick to put that result at the back of her mind, defeating qualifier Noemi Basiletti with ease (6-1, 6-3). On paper it was a tougher test in the form of Hailey Baptiste, but the 31-year-old would excel. She dropped three games enroute to a fabulous win (6-1, 6-2). The trend of dropping few games continued against lucky loser Nikola Bartunkova (6-2, 6-3) before the tough tests came.

Her quarter-final was against world number two and 2023 champion Elena Rybakina. The signs were ominous when the two-time Grand Slam champion stole a march with a one-set lead. However, back came Svitolina. She clinched the final two sets in an eye-catching performance (2-6, 6-4, 6-4) to set up a semi-final showdown versus Iga Swiatek, possibly the favourite for the title at that point in time. However, the Pole's chances of a fourth title in Rome came crashing down. Svitolina struck first before Swiatek responded brilliantly. The final flurry went the way of Svitolina who stormed 4-1 ahead in the final set before seeing it out expertly (6-4, 2-6, 6-2).

The pair have played five times, with Svitolina winning the head to head record 3-2. This includes matches in Svitolina's forementioned runs in Melbourne and Dubai.

This turned the head to head record on its head. Gauff was leading 2-1 after winning the final ASB Classic final in 2024 before ending Svitolina's US Open run in the third round. Both of these were in tight three-set battles in which the Ukrainian went ahead.

The Australian Open clash stole the headlines when Gauff smashed her racket backstage. While she was not at her best, Svitolina excelled at the quarter-final stage, dropping three games. Thay met a round later in Dubai, which was much closer. Svitolina missed four match points in the second set as Gauff got level. However, she escaped a missed opportunity with a late break that secured her the final and continued a tumultuous period for Gauff. She will hope to finally get back on the winning side against Svitolina and add her name to the roll of honour in Rome.