Grooving Gauff Sweeps Into Rome Final Return
By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, May 14, 2026
Photo credit: Internazionali BNL d’Italia Facebook
Gelato junkie Coco Gauff has dined on drama in Rome.
Today, Gauff cooked up masterful shotmaking to return to the Rome final.
Riding a six-game surge, Gauff defeated Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-2 to roll into her second straight Rome final.
The 22-year-old Gauff is the youngest American since her former doubles partner Venus Williams (1998-99) to reach the Rome final in successive seasons.
Reigning Roland Garros champion Gauff will face a former Rome champion—either three-time champion Iga Swiatek or two-time champion Elina Svitolina—in the final. Gauff is 2-3 lifetime vs. Svitolina and 5-11 vs. Swiatek, but she has won their last four meetings in a row.
Gauff, who lost to home hero Jasmine Paolini in the 2025 Rome final, delivered her most definitive clay-court performance of the season after a high drama win over compatriot Iva Jovic where she saved a match point in a 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 comeback triumph. Gauff rallied from a set down defeating eighth-seeded Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-2, 6-4—her third straight comeback win from a set down in the tournament.
Reuniting with Caty McNally in Team McCoco doubles action in Rome has given Gauff plenty of repetitions on serve and return—and that helped her high performance in those departments today. Gauff served 78 percent, won 29 of 39 first-serve points and double faulted only once in a 75-minute victory. On return, Gauff converted five of six break points in her most confident and cleanest effort of the clay season.
Credit Cirstea, who is crafting career resurgence in her planned farewell season, for taking it to the finalist for much of the first set.
The 36-year-old Cirstea took the court playing for her second WTA 1000 final—and a place in history knowing a win would vault her to a career-high ranking of No. 20, which would have made her the oldest woman in Open Era history to debut in the Top 20.
The 26th-ranked Romanian used the down the line drive in toppling world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the third round and played proactive points rallying from 40-Love down to break serve to start this semifinal.
Cracking a crosscourt forehand winner, Cirstea closed a solid hold with a fist pump and 4-2 lead.
As the set progressed, Gauff dialed in her topspin forehand and began gaining traction in forehand exchanges.
Driving a forehand down the line, Gauff gained break point in the eight game.
An 11-shot forehand-to-forehand exchange ended with Gauff rattling a forehand miscue from the Romanian to break back for 4-all.
When Gauff wasn’t mixing her heavy topspin forehand with flat backhand blasts, she sometimes befuddled Cirstea dabbing droppers into the front court. An excellent running rally spanned 23 shots capped by a slick Gauff backhand drop shot winner. That stirring sequence helped her hold for 5-4.
Watching Gauff set her feet and rock her shoulders through her two-handed signature shot can be a scary sight for opponents. Gauff banged backhands causing Cirstea to jerk a backhand well wide as Gauff broke taking the 40-minute opening set on a four-game run.
Cirstea half-volleyed her way to a love hold in the fourth game of the second set.
Sending in a series of first serves, Gauff answered with a love hold for a 6-4, 3-2 lead after 58 minutes.
Then a spectator apparently fell ill in the stands prompting a suspension of play while aid was administered to the fan. Both Gauff and Cirstea consulted with their coaches during the break.
When play resumed, the pair traded breaks.
Covering the court thoroughly, Gauff shrank space for Cirstea to strike and drew three errors in a row breaking again for 5-3.
The third-seeded Gauff stamped her third love hold of the set to secure her final spot in 75 minutes.
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