Elina Svitolina rolled back the years in Rome on Saturday night. In a gripping battle filled with momentum swings and raw emotion, the Ukrainian defeated Coco Gauff in three sets to capture her third Italian Open title and complete one of the finest runs of her career.
The final lasted nearly three hours, but Svitolina never looked ready to surrender. The 31-year-old battled through pressure, frustration, and a resurgent Gauff to win 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2 under the lights at Foro Italico.
For Svitolina, the victory carried deep meaning. It was her first WTA 1000 title since lifting the same trophy in Rome back in 2018, and her 20th career singles title overall.
“It’s very hard to believe that it’s been eight years when I had this trophy here,” Svitolina said after the match. “I’m very, very happy.”
She also revealed a lighter moment with her coach. “I told my coach that it would be nice before I finish my career to have a round number,” she said with a smile. “So he told me that hopefully we’re going to get this this year.”
The journey to the title made the triumph even more impressive. Svitolina defeated three of the world’s elite players in succession, Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and now Gauff. Each win came through physical and mental endurance, proof that the former world number three remains one of the toughest competitors on tour.
Gauff began the final sharply. The American broke serve early and looked set to control the opening set when she moved 4-2 ahead. Yet Svitolina absorbed the pressure brilliantly, saving break points and winning four straight games to flip the match completely.
The second set swung wildly. Gauff struggled on serve but fought hard from the baseline, eventually forcing a tiebreak. She raised her level at the perfect moment to level the match and briefly shift the energy inside the stadium.
“Another tough battle between us,” Gauff admitted afterward. “I’m on the other side but hopefully one of these days I can get over that.”
That hope never materialised in the deciding set. Svitolina’s movement became sharper, her groundstrokes heavier, and her experience decisive. She broke Gauff twice before sealing victory with a volley at the net on her third championship point.
Gauff, now a runner-up in Rome for the second straight year, still leaves Italy with confidence ahead of Roland Garros. “It’s been a great two weeks,” she said. “I definitely feel the momentum going into the French Open.”
But this night belonged to Svitolina. In a city where she once ruled, she reminded the tennis world that champions rarely fade quietly.
