Elina Svitolina defeats Coco Gauff to win third Rome WTA 1000 title

The Ukrainian star defeated Coco Gauff in a nearly three-hour battle to claim her third Rome title and the 20th trophy of her career.

photo: @WTA

Elina Svitolina produced one of the most emotional victories of the WTA season by defeating Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2 to win the Rome Open for the third time in her career.

The Ukrainian star battled for nearly three hours inside the Foro Italico to secure her 20th career title and her first WTA 1000 trophy since 2018.

Facing one of the favorites for Roland Garros, Svitolina relied on composure, consistency and experience to outlast Gauff in a physically demanding final filled with momentum swings.

Gauff started aggressively and looked in control early in the match, but her recurring serving issues resurfaced at critical moments. Svitolina capitalized by winning four straight games to steal the opening set.

The American responded strongly in the second set, eventually dominating the tiebreak to force a decider after saving herself from another collapse while serving for the set.

The former world No. 3 quickly established control with her returning game and baseline defense, frustrating Gauff and closing the match with authority.

The victory represents another major milestone in Svitolina’s remarkable comeback story after becoming a mother in 2022 alongside French player Gaël Monfils.

Following the match, Svitolina became emotional during the Ukrainian national anthem and dedicated the title to people in Ukraine still affected by the ongoing war.

With the title, Svitolina will climb back near the top of the rankings and head into Roland Garros as one of the most dangerous players on clay.