Ukrainian Elina Svitolina Claims Rome Masters 1000 Title
World No. 7 Elina Svitolina secured the Rome Masters 1000 title this Saturday. The Ukrainian defeated Coco Gauff in the final (6-4, 6-7, 6-2) to win her third Masters 1000 in the Italian capital after 2 hours and 49 minutes of play. Earlier in the tournament, she had defeated world No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals and world No. 3 Iga Świątek in the semifinals.
Despite starting her sixth final in a WTA 1000 by losing her serve, Svitolina turned things around with more aggression when Gauff struggled on her serve. Svitolina won four consecutive games to take the first set in sixty minutes on a double fault by Gauff, who, in frustration, hit herself on the head with her racket.
A Scare in the Second Set
In the second set, 22-year-old Gauff was the first to make a difference, leading 6-5 and serving for the set, but was broken back. The American then dominated the tiebreak to level the match at one set apiece. In the final set, Svitolina quickly took the lead and clinched her twentieth title on her third match point.
This victory, her fifth in a WTA 1000 event (prestigious tournaments after Grand Slams), holds special significance for Svitolina, who is in a relationship with Frenchman Gaël Monfils: it is the most important title of her “second” career, which began after the birth of their daughter in October 2022.
With this win, Svitolina will enter Roland-Garros (May 24 – June 7) ranked 7th in the world, hoping to surpass her previous quarterfinal exits (2015, 2017, 2020, 2023, 2025) in the Parisian tournament. Reigning Roland-Garros champion Gauff is still seeking a standout result in 2026. Despite reaching two finals (Miami and Rome) since January, she is yet to claim her first title of the year and faced disappointment in Rome due to service errors (7 double faults, 63% first serves).
