Coco Gauff falls short of career milestone on bittersweet day at Italian Open

Sometimes, even a strong performance in one area isn’t enough to call it a perfect day. That was the case for Coco Gauff on Wednesday at the Italian Open, where mixed results left her short of a significant career milestone.

On one hand, Gauff cruised past Mirra Andreeva in singles, winning in straight sets. The American displayed solid control throughout the match, maintaining her unbeaten record against the young Russian, who is still seeking her first victory over Gauff.

However, in doubles, Gauff and her new partner Alexandra Eala were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Italian duo of Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani. The match extended to three hard-fought sets, but the American-Filipina pair ultimately fell short in their pursuit of the doubles crown in Rome.

As a result, Gauff missed the rare opportunity to join the select group of players who have captured both the singles and doubles titles at the Italian Open. It remains unclear whether any WTA player has previously achieved this feat in tournament history.

Gauff’s impressive 2025 season

Despite a recent loss in doubles, Gauff continues to shine on the WTA Tour with a standout 2025 season in singles. The 20-year-old has already captured one singles title, compiled a 19–7 win-loss record, and reached the quarterfinals in four of the nine tournaments she’s played, including the Australian Open earlier this year.

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Gauff has also delivered strong numbers on serve, recording 93 aces in 26 matches. She has won 73.6% of her service games and 72.6% of points on her first serve. As a result of her continued success, Gauff is set to rise to World No. 2 following the conclusion of the Italian Open, where she has already advanced to the semifinals. Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have both been eliminated from the tournament.

Gauff to face Zheng in Italian Open semifinals

Gauff is now just two wins away from capturing the Italian Open title. Her next challenge will be World No. 7 Qinwen Zheng of China, who upset Sabalenka in straight sets on Wednesday.

This semifinal presents a promising opportunity for Gauff, who holds a 2–0 head-to-head record against Zheng. Their most recent meeting came at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, where Gauff prevailed in a hard-fought three-set match to claim the title.