Coco Gauff secured a thrilling victory over Zheng Qinwen at the Italian Open semifinals on Thursday, edging past the Chinese player in two intense tiebreaks to win 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(4). With this win, Gauff becomes the first American woman to reach the tournament’s final since 2016.
The match was a rollercoaster from the start. Gauff, seeded fourth, broke Zheng in the opening game, but the eighth-seeded Zheng quickly retaliated, taking the lead 3-2 after five games. The first set saw multiple breaks from both players before heading into a tiebreaker, where Gauff prevailed 7-3.
In the second set, Zheng dominated early, racing to a 3-0 lead. Despite exchanges of breaks between the two, the 22-year-old Chinese player held her nerve to take the set 6-4, leveling the match.
The deciding set was just as intense. Gauff broke Zheng to start, but Zheng fought back to lead 5-3. Refusing to back down, Gauff broke again and tied the set at 5-5, eventually forcing another tiebreaker. Gauff clinched the win with a 7-4 victory in the tiebreak, sealing her place in the final.
“I was just trying to go for every point,” Gauff said after the match. “I knew it was going to be a physical battle. Last time we played, it was over three hours. I’m just happy to get through it and reach another final.”
Zheng acknowledged the closeness of the contest. “I don’t think there’s a clear difference between me and her,” she said. “It came down to a few key points. I had my chances but could have been a little bolder or more aggressive during critical moments.”
Gauff will face Italy’s top-ranked Jasmine Paolini in the final. Paolini, the sixth seed, overcame a shaky start to defeat American Peyton Stearns 7-5, 6-1 in the other semifinal. She rallied from 4-1 down in the first set and saved two set points to secure her spot in the championship match.
“I’m trying to maintain the mindset that last year gave me a lot of confidence,” Paolini said. “I have to remember all the experience I have under my belt. At the same time, this year is a completely different story.”
