Coco Gauff is making waves at the Italian Open, and tennis fans are buzzing: Could she pull off a rare double by winning both the singles and doubles titles in Rome? If her recent performances are any indication, the answer might just be yes.
After a rocky start to the clay court season, Gauff has found her rhythm on the red dirt in the Italian capital. She's battled through a series of hard-fought matches against top-tier opponents, most notably outlasting rising star Mirra Andreeva in a gritty contest. That win signaled that Gauff's confidence is back just in time for the business end of the tournament.
But the excitement doesn't stop with singles. Gauff has reunited with longtime friend Caty McNally in the doubles draw for the first time in years, and the "McCoco" duo has hit the ground running. Their chemistry is as electric as ever, and they're playing with the kind of seamless teamwork that makes them a threat to any team in the field.
Standing in Gauff's way in the singles semifinals is Sorana Cirstea, who is having the tournament of her life. The Romanian has nothing to lose and everything to gain after stunning Aryna Sabalenka earlier in Rome. Gauff, as the favorite, will feel the pressure, but history is on her side: she's never lost to Cirstea in three previous meetings, though all three went the distance—two this year in Miami and Madrid, and one at the 2020 Australian Open.
On the other side of the draw, the semifinal between Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina is a clash of Italian Open royalty. Between them, they've won five of the last nine titles in Rome. Swiatek, in particular, looks formidable after training with Rafael Nadal ahead of the clay swing. Svitolina, a two-time champion here, is no slouch either, making this a must-watch matchup.
In the doubles draw, anything can happen—especially on clay, where spins and bounces keep things unpredictable. But McCoco's quick reunion success is promising, even with tough competition still in the mix, including Jessica Pegula and Storm Hunter, the young duo of Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, and the powerhouse pairing of Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, who just won the Sunshine Double and Madrid Open.
Can Gauff channel her inner Jasmine Paolini, who pulled off the singles-doubles double in 2025? With her form rising and her partnership with McNally clicking, Rome might just be the stage for something special.