Coco Gauff enjoyed a superb run at the Italian Open, only to fall at the final hurdle against Elina Svitolina.
Svitolina beat Gauff 6-4, 6-7(3-7), 6-2 after two hours and 49 minutes in Rome, capturing her 20th career title.
It was a superb display from the Ukrainian, who used all of her experience to deny Gauff her first WTA title of the season.
But the American can be really proud of her efforts at the Italian Open, with one area of her game likely to particularly please her despite the narrow loss to Svitolina.
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Coco Gauff can be pleased with her first serve efforts despite Rome final loss
Gauff’s serve continues to come under close scrutiny in recent times, and it is understandable given her double fault concerns.
The youngster led the entire WTA Tour for the most double faults in both 2024 and 2025, and is currently on track to achieve the same unwanted feat this season.
She continued those struggles against Svitolina, posting a huge seven double faults compared to just two from her final opponent.
But Gauff will definitely be pleased with her serving efforts elsewhere, having finished the match with a first serve figure of 64.6% and a first serve points won figure of 64.4%.
Both tallies were better than Svitolina’s, although the runner-up will be keen to improve her second serve points won figure of 37.5%.
| Coco Gauff | Elina Svitolina | |
| 1 | Aces | 2 |
| 7 | Double faults | 2 |
| 64.6% 73/113 | 1st serve | 64.3% 83/129 |
| 64.4% 47/73 | 1st serve points won | 63.9% 53/83 |
| 37.5% 15/40 | 2nd serve points won | 50% 23/46 |
| 15 | Break points faced | 17 |
| 60% 9/15 | Break points saved | 82.4% 14/17 |
| 15 | Service games played | 15 |
Iva Jovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga react to Elina Svitolina’s Rome title
While Gauff was understandably disappointed to lose the Italian Open final, her fellow American Iva Jovic was delighted for Svitolina.
The Rome champion shared images of her success on her social media, writing on Instagram: “Too busy living la dolce vita.”
And Jovic, who was beaten by Gauff in the round of 16 of the WTA 1000 tournament, commented: “Amazing!”
French tennis icon Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also reacted with two fire emojis, while Marta Kostyuk posted a message of congratulations to her fellow Ukrainian on her Instagram story.
She’s evidently a popular champion on the WTA Tour, while there was a clear mutual respect between the two finalists on the court, which was great to see.
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Both Svitolina and Gauff will now be very confident heading into Roland Garros, where the American will be out to defend her title.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian has never made it beyond the quarterfinals in Paris, having reached that stage but no further on five occasions.
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