ROME \u2013 Elina Svitolina claimed a third Italian Open title on Saturday by beating Coco Gauff, who lost in the final in Rome for the second straight year.<\/p>\n
In the men\u2019s final on Sunday, home favorite Jannik Sinner<\/a> will face Casper Ruud.<\/p>\n Svitolina took nearly three hours to prevail 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2 and win her first WTA 1000 title since lifting the title in Rome in 2018. The Ukrainian also won the Italian Open in 2017.<\/p>\n Gauff, who was hoping to become the first American to win in Rome since 2016, lost to Jasmine Paolini last year but went on to win the French Open.<\/p>\n Gauff started brilliantly on Saturday, breaking Svitolina and holding to love. She also had the chance to go 5-2 up in the first set but Svitolina fended off three break points and won four straight games to take the opener.<\/p>\n The third-ranked Gauff struggled on her serve throughout the second set but managed to take it to a tiebreak and level the match.<\/p>\n However, Svitolina dominated the decider and broke Gauff\u2019s serve twice to leave her serving for the title. The seventh-ranked Svitolina sealed the result on her third match point with a volley at the net.<\/p>\n Sinner finishes off Medvedev <\/p>\n Sinner beat Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 when their rain-delayed semifinal resumed on Saturday and is one victory away from becoming only the second man after Novak Djokovic<\/a> to win all nine Masters 1000 titles. Djokovic has won each Masters tournament at least twice.<\/p>\n The top-ranked Sinner led 4-2 in the third set when the match was suspended late Friday. The Italian finished off the match in 15 minutes on Saturday, sealing it on his third match point after Medvedev fended off two on his serve.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a very different challenge and a tough challenge,\u201d Sinner said. \u201cUsually, during the night, I don\u2019t struggle to sleep but this time it was not easy.<\/p>\n “You are in the third set, nearly done, but you still have to show up again and you never know what is happening. It is like the start of the match as there are nerves again. I am very happy with how I handled this situation and that I am back in the final.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier Friday on the red clay of the Foro Italico, Ruud routed home player Luciano Darderi<\/a> 6-1, 6-1.<\/p>\n Sinner is also attempting to become the first Italian man to raise the Rome trophy since Adriano Panatta in 1976. Panatta will present the trophy on Sunday, with Italian President Sergio Mattarella also slated to attend the men’s final.<\/p>\n Sinner appeared exhausted<\/p>\n After winning the first set easily on Friday, Sinner appeared fatigued as Medvedev stepped up his game and started running him around the court with drop shots and groundstrokes to the corners.<\/p>\n After several points Sinner bent over in apparent exhaustion and leaned on his racket for support. Sinner had his right thigh treated by a trainer midway through the second set.<\/p>\n Sinner came back from a 3-0 deficit only to be broken again in the 12th game and concede the set to Medvedev.<\/p>\n A bad bounce helped Sinner break Medvedev early in the third and take control for good.<\/p>\n Sinner 4-0 against Ruud<\/p>\n Sinner has won all four of his career meetings with Ruud without dropping a set \u2014 including a 6-0, 6-1 rout in the Rome quarterfinals last year.<\/p>\n \u201cJannik is chasing history,\u201d Ruud said. \u201cI have to be the guy to try to stop him, and it will not be easy playing here in his home country. … Last year, he really (routed me) here on the same court, so of course I\u2019m looking for revenge. But at the same time I realize that he\u2019s an incredible player and a unique talent.\u201d<\/p>\n Sinner lost last year\u2019s final to Carlos Alcaraz, who is sidelined<\/a> due to a right wrist injury. Paolini<\/a> in 2025 became the first Italian woman to raise the trophy in 40 years.<\/p>\n Sinner hasn\u2019t lost since Feb. 19 in the Qatar Open quarterfinals. He has won 28 straight matches and a record five successive Masters titles. He could become the second man to win all three Masters tournaments on clay \u2014 including Monte Carlo and Madrid \u2014 in the same season after Rafael Nadal in 2010.<\/p>\n After Rome for Sinner is the French Open, the only Grand Slam event he hasn\u2019t won. The titleholder, Alcaraz, will also miss it.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n