Despite a disappointing finish in the 2025 Italian Open final, American tennis star Coco Gauff remains optimistic and focused ahead of Roland Garros. Gauff, the current world No. 3, fell to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, in what proved to be a historic victory for the home favorite. Paolini became the first Italian woman in 40 years to win the Rome title, claiming her second WTA 1000 crown in front of a raucous crowd at the Foro Italico.
For Gauff, the loss was a tough pill to swallow, but not without silver linings. During her post-match press conference, the 2023 US Open champion was candid in her reflections, calling the experience “bittersweet.”
“Definitely proud of the two results, but also disappointed,” Gauff said, referring to her impressive wins earlier in the tournament over rising stars Mirra Andreeva and Qinwen Zheng. “It’s a bittersweet feeling. Jasmine played great tennis today. Unfortunately, I felt like I didn’t bring my best, which I knew I needed today. Overall, a lot to look forward to in Paris.”
Gauff was quick to give credit to Paolini, who played one of the most composed and aggressive matches of her career on home soil. “She played to win today and she deserved to win,” Gauff admitted. “I don’t want to discredit her performance. She forced me to play that way.”
Gauff, 20, has long been lauded for her maturity on and off the court, and her assessment of her own performance was refreshingly honest. She acknowledged that her serving and consistency were not at the level needed to challenge Paolini, particularly in a match of such magnitude.
“Yeah, maybe I could have served better and put more balls in the court,” she reflected. “I definitely could and can. But she played one of her best matches. It was a tough day for me.”
The statistics paint a clear picture of Gauff’s struggles during the latter stages of the tournament. Over her last two matches, she racked up 125 unforced errors—numbers that would be alarming for most players. However, Gauff put the performance into context, noting her deliberate attempt to play more aggressively, especially on the slower clay courts.
“I knew today I was trying to be more aggressive because I felt like if I was being passive, she would run me across the court,” Gauff explained. “With the unforced errors, I was just going for my shots. In the semifinal, the court was super slow. It wasn’t easy to hit winners. Sometimes you have to force the issue.”
Gauff also acknowledged the need to improve her serve, particularly when it comes to double-faults. “It’s something I know I have to work on if I want to reach the next level,” she added.
Despite the Rome setback, Gauff remains confident heading into Roland Garros, where she has consistently performed well. Since 2021, she has reached at least the quarterfinals every year and was a finalist in 2022, losing to Iga Świątek. Her track record in Paris gives her plenty of reason for optimism.
“I feel confident for Roland Garros,” Gauff said. “Obviously, I didn’t get the result I wanted in Rome, but I’ve been training well and my body feels good. I just need to clean up some areas in my game.”
For now, the loss to Paolini serves as both a motivator and a learning opportunity for the young star. And with the French Open just around the corner, fans can expect a refocused and determined Coco Gauff to once again challenge for Grand Slam glory.
As she heads to Paris, Gauff’s blend of humility, resilience, and self-awareness continues to make her one of the most compelling figures in tennis—and one of its fiercest competitors.