Jasmine Paolini craved her name in the history books of tennis as she became the first Italian player to win the Internazionali BNL d’Italia title in 40 years as she beat Coco Gauff last May 18 2025.
Pride of Rome
No. 6 ranked Italian native Paolini was able to make a clean sweep against the higher ranked No. 4 American superstar Gauff in the WTA Rome Finals.
Final Score: 6-4, 6-2
Paolini was the first to secure a service hold, establishing a 3-1 advantage. In front of the home crowd, she nearly extended her lead to a double break at 4-1, but Gauff responded with a powerful backhand down the line to save the break point and hold serve, keeping the match within reach.
Despite the pressure, Paolini preserved her lead with effective forehand shots. At 5-4, a deep rally shot landed on the baseline, giving her three set points. She then served out the game at love to seal the opening set, just as a light drizzle began.
One for the Record Books
Paolini became the first Italian woman to claim her nation’s premier tennis event since Raffaella Reggi triumphed in 1985. While Reggi won in Taranto, Paolini made history as the first Italian to secure the Internazionali BNL d’Italia crown in Rome during the Open Era, which began in 1968.
Fun Fact: In a clash of Top 5 players, Paolini defeated Gauff in 1 hour and 29 minutes to earn her second WTA 1000 title, adding to her 2024 Dubai win. This marks her third WTA singles title overall and her first achieved on a clay court.
