paolini

French Open champion Gauff reset admirably following her scrappy display against Pegula and reasserted herself as a title challenger with this solid performance.

She produced just three double faults and reduced her total unforced errors by over half (30), with her more consistent serving in particular providing a significant confidence boost before her meeting with Sabalenka.

Displaying calmness and confidence from the back of the court, Gauff appeared largely in control after taking charge of the opening set.

After breaking world number eight Paolini to love at the first opportunity, Gauff withstood three break points to establish a commanding 3-0 lead – and struck back immediately when the Italian offered a response, before serving out the set.

With 29-year-old Paolini’s resistance fading, Gauff converted the first break point of the second set following a superb forehand winner, before sealing victory with a dominant five-game streak.

“I was just trying to play relaxed,” said Gauff. “I played a WTA Finals where I lost all three matches and I was determined to not make a repeat of that.

“I know today was important to keep myself in the tournament.”

World number three Iga Swiatek powered to a straight-set win over Elena Rybakina to reach the final of the Cincinnati Open where she will face Jasmine Paolini.

Their meeting will be a repeat of last year’s French Open final – won by Poland’s Swiatek in dominant fashion.

Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, swept past Kazakhstan’s Rybakina 7-5 6-3 on Sunday to reach her first Cincinnati showpiece.

Rybakina – who beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals – started brightly but failed to exploit an early break in the first set before Swiatek took control.

“That was a tough match,” said Swiatek. “At the beginning it was pretty crazy, we played so fast that sometimes we couldn’t even run to the second ball.

“I was there to play with intensity and good quality and I am super happy with the performance.

“It will be super tough in the final. I will have to prepare tactically but I will focus on myself and try to continue the work I have been doing.”

Italy’s Paolini battled past Russian Veronika Kudermetova in her semi-final 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3.

Paolini served for the match in the second set only to see her advantage slip away, but the story of the encounter was Kudermetova’s tally of 75 unforced errors.

The final takes place on Monday night.

Paolini had a breakthrough year in 2024, reaching the French Open and Wimbledon finals and was regarded a title contender in Paris.

The 29-year-old came into the tournament in good form after winning the Italian Open last month, and started well, taking the opening three games.

After the pair traded breaks, Paolini pummelled a forehand winner past Svitolina for the decisive one to take the first set 6-4.

As both struggled to hold in the second set, Paolini served at 5-3, but Svitolina saved two match points and forced a tie-break.

The 30-year-old held off another match point in the tie-break before winning the set and taking control in the deciding third set.

Svitolina dominated with her forehand, hitting 10 winners to Paolini’s four, before a backhand down the line secured her place in the last-eight.

Italy’s Jasmine Paolini recovered from a slow start to reach the Italian Open final with a 7-5 6-1 victory against Peyton Stearns.

World number five Paolini struggled in the early stages and faced a set point when trailing 5-3 in the opener, but American Stearns was unable to hold serve.

The home favourite overturned the deficit to take the opening set before growing in confidence in the second.

Paolini’s win makes her the first Italian woman to reach the singles final in Rome since 2014 when her current doubles partner, Sara Errani, was beaten by Serena Williams.

She is attempting to become Italy’s first home women’s singles champion for 40 years.

Her final opponent will be either American world number three Coco Gauff or China’s Zheng Qinwen, who knocked out world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals.

“At the beginning, I was feeling so slow,” Paolini, 29, told Sky Sports.

“I told myself I had to hit the ball harder because she was playing amazing, but I managed to stay in there somehow and I won the match and I’m really happy about it.

“In the first round I was nervous and in the second also, and maybe again today, but the crowd was unbelievable and they helped me a lot. It’s beautiful to play here in Italy and they support us no matter what, so that is the most important thing.”

Asked about the final, Paolini said of her prospective opponents: “They are both very strong players with good forehands and can play with speed on the clay court. For sure, my coach will watch their match and we will prepare our tactics.”

Raffaella Reggi was the last Italian woman to win the title, in 1985.