Jasmine Paolini will face Coco Gauff in the Italian Open final on Saturday as she bids to become the event’s first home women’s singles champion for 40 years.
A 7-5 6-1 victory against Peyton Stearns on Thursday carried Italian Paolini through to the title match.
World number five Paolini struggled in the early stages and faced a set point when trailing 5-3 in the opener, but American Stearns was unable to hold serve.
Crowd favourite Paolini overturned the deficit to take the opening set before growing in confidence and dominating the second.
Paolini’s win makes her the first Italian woman to reach the singles final in Rome since 2014 when her current doubles partner, Sara Errani, was beaten by Serena Williams.
Raffaella Reggi was the last Italian woman to win the singles title, in 1985.
Awaiting Paolini in the final will be fourth seed Gauff after the American overcame Chinese opponent Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) in a marathon last-four clash.
Olympic gold medallist Zheng, who knocked out world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals this week, gave Gauff a real battle with the match lasting over three and a half hours.
Former French Open finalist Gauff is guaranteed to become the new number two in the world rankings, overtaking Iga Swiatek, after hitting a rich vein of form on clay to win 10 of her past 11 matches.
She defeated Britain’s Emma Raducanu earlier in this tournament.
Paolini, who was a surprise finalist at the French Open and Wimbledon last year, was pleased to eventually find her groove against Sterns.
“At the beginning, I was feeling so slow,” Paolini, 29, told Sky Sports.
“I told myself I had to hit the ball harder because she was playing amazing, but I managed to stay in there somehow and I won the match and I’m really happy about it.
“In the first round I was nervous and in the second also, and maybe again today, but the crowd was unbelievable and they helped me a lot. It’s beautiful to play here in Italy and they support us no matter what, so that is the most important thing.”
Paolini has recent experience of lifting a trophy at this tournament, albeit in doubles.
She and Errani were champions last year – beating Gauff and New Zealander Erin Routliffe in the final.
