Coco Gauff avenged her Miami loss to Magda Linette with a 7-5, 6-3 victory at the Italian Open, advancing to the fourth round in Rome. She will now face Emma Raducanu in a battle of US Open champions in the next round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
Coco Gauff delivered a strong performance on Sunday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, defeating Poland’s Magda Linette 7-5, 6-3 to reach the fourth round in Rome. This win was particularly significant for the American as she avenged her recent defeat to Linette at the Miami Open, where the Polish veteran notched her first-ever win over Gauff in three meetings.
This third-round clash marked the first time Gauff and Linette faced off on a surface other than hard court. On the red clay of Rome, the World No. 4 battled through a scrappy and tense encounter, especially in a first set riddled with unforced errors. Gauff hit 24 unforced errors to just nine winners, while both players combined for 40 unforced mistakes overall in the opening set.
Despite the inconsistency, Gauff managed to take control early with a break for 3-1. However, she quickly handed that advantage back, and the set remained tight until the closing games. With grit and determination, Gauff surged ahead, winning eight of the final nine points from 5-5 to seal the first set in 51 minutes, according to the WTA.
In the second set, Gauff again raced to a 3-1 lead but faltered on her serve, allowing the No. 32 seed Linette to break back. Still, Gauff managed to stay composed, even as a nervy finish required five match points to close out the win. She saved a break point in the final game, eventually overcoming the resistance to book her spot in the next round.
This latest triumph continues Gauff’s impressive record at the Italian Open. Rome has been one of her most productive tournaments on the WTA Tour, with 14 main-draw wins—ranking it fourth among her top-performing events after Roland Garros, the US Open, and the Australian Open. She has reached the semifinals in both 2021 and 2024, though she experienced earlier exits in 2022 and 2023.
Next up for Gauff is a compelling fourth-round showdown against Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, who rallied from a set down to defeat Veronika Kudermetova. The match between the two Grand Slam winners promises to be a marquee contest and could offer a preview of future major showdowns.
As the clay season heats up, Gauff’s form in Rome could prove crucial in her preparations for Roland Garros. With Sunday’s victory, she not only reasserts her dominance over Linette but also signals her readiness to contend deep into the tournament.
