Queen of Rome: Svitolina pips Gauff, bags 3rd Italian Open crown

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Elina Svitolina won the Italian Open after beating Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 to claim her third Rome title while Jannik Sinner set a date with Casper Ruud in the men's final on Saturday.

Ukraine's Svitolina had not claimed a WTA 1000 title since her last victory at the Foro Italico eight years ago but prevailed over the ever-erratic Gauff to claim her 20th tournament triumph.

The win over Gauff was her third in a row against a player in the top four of the world rankings — including Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina — ahead of the French Open which starts next weekend.

"Of course, it gives me a lot of confidence going into Roland Garros," Svitolina told reporters. 

"I'm very proud of the effort, of the intensity that I've been able to put in to beat those players."

American star Gauff was aiming to become the first American to win in the Italian capital since Serena Williams in 2016, but the problems with her serve which have so long dogged her game began to resurface on center court.

Her serve was broken three times by Svitolina on her way to losing the first set, thanks in part to four double-faults, two of which came in the game which allowed her opponent to move ahead in the match.

At 5-4 down she hit a bizarre second serve which flew into the wrong side of the court, before gifting Svitolina the advantage by another double-fault at set point.

A livid Gauff then smacked herself on the head with her own racket before storming down the tunnel, emerging shortly afterwards to have a heated discussion with her coach Jean-Christophe Faurel.

That talk seemed to turn things around as Gauff got a handle on her serve in a hard-fought second set which featured some fun rallies, particularly as she won the tie-break.

But two more breaks of serve cost Gauff her first tournament win of the season with her French Open title defence.

"I think this week I experienced all the ups and downs of a tournament that can bring you before a Grand Slam of I've been down, had the lead, lost the lead, I've been in the final, been down match point," Gauff said.

"I think I've experienced every scenario that can prepare me for Roland Garros."

Sinner finished off Daniil Medvedev in Saturday's closing chapter of an enthralling last-four clash, which was paused overnight due to rain in Rome.

The world No. 1 could claim a record-extending sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title on Sunday thanks to a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win which had almost everything over the course of its two-and-a-half hours.

Sinner had to have treatment on his right thigh and even vomited during Friday night's leg of the semi-final as Medvedev gave the Italian by far his toughest test of the tournament.