Alcaraz and Paolini triumph in Rome

Carlos Alcaraz and Jasmine Paolini emerged as the champions of the 2025 Italian Open over the weekend. Alcaraz overcame Jannik Sinner in straight sets, while Paolini delighted the home crowd by defeating Coco Gauff to become the first Italian woman in four decades to lift the trophy.

Alcaraz captured his maiden Italian Open title by defeating Italy’s own Jannik Sinner 7-6(5), 6-1. The first set was a tense affair, with both players holding serve and pushing each other to the limit. 

Sinner, cheered on by a passionate home audience, had two set points at 5-6, 15-40, but Alcaraz pulled strength from within to save them. The set moved into a tiebreak, where Alcaraz’s aggressive play paid off. He raced to a 3-0 lead with a pair of aces and maintained his edge to claim the set.

The pace shifted further in Alcaraz’s favour in the second set. He broke Sinner’s serve early and continued to apply pressure with relentless baseline play and deft touch at the net. Sinner, returning from a long suspension, struggled to find answers as Alcaraz pulled away, wrapping up the match in just over 90 minutes. 

With this win, Alcaraz not only ended Sinner’s 26-match winning streak but also strengthened his position as a major contender for the upcoming French Open.

Jasmine Paolini made history for Italy by defeating Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 in the women’s final. The match began with both players exchanging early breaks, but Paolini soon found her rhythm. She broke Gauff’s serve to establish a 3-1 lead and kept her composure to take the first set.

In the second set, Paolini broke Gauff twice to surge ahead 3-0. Gauff fought back to get on the scoreboard, but Paolini was too consistent to ler that happen. The Italian closed out the match with a powerful serve, sparking celebrations both on the court and in the stands.

Paolini’s victory was met with a standing ovation from the home crowd, including Italian president Sergio Mattarella. Having grown up attending the tournament as a fan, Paolini described her win as a dream come true. Her triumph in Rome sets her up as a top-four seed for Roland Garros.