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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.<\/b><\/p>\n
A 7-5 6-1 victory against Peyton Stearns on Thursday carried Italian Paolini through to the title match.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Crowd favourite Paolini overturned the deficit to take the opening set before growing in confidence and dominating the second.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Raffaella Reggi was the last Italian woman to win the singles title, in 1985.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
She defeated Britain’s Emma Raducanu earlier in this tournament.<\/p>\n
Paolini, who was a surprise finalist at the French Open and Wimbledon last year, was pleased to eventually find her groove against Sterns.<\/p>\n
“At the beginning, I was feeling so slow,” Paolini, 29, told Sky Sports.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Paolini has recent experience of lifting a trophy at this tournament, albeit in doubles.<\/p>\n
She and Errani were champions last year – beating Gauff and New Zealander Erin Routliffe in the final.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n