Italian tennis players have an opportunity to win the singles, doubles, and women’s doubles titles this weekend at the Italian Open.
While the dominance is not a complete surprise for a country that is the reigning Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup champions and won the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medal in women’s doubles, it is somewhat surprising that it is all happening at one tournament, in front of the home crowd.
Will the Italians win three out of four titles at the 2025 Italian Open? Let’s take a look at the matchups.
1. Women’s Singles: Jasmine Paolini vs. Coco Gauff
Saturday at 11 AM EDT
⚔ La finale femminile degli Internazionali BNL d’Italia è decisa:
saranno Jasmine Paolini e Coco Gauff a contendersi il titolo 🔥#IBI25 pic.twitter.com/tFwbCrZe7l— SuperTennis TV (@SuperTennisTv) May 15, 2025
American Coco Gauff will not be the fan-favorite, but she is the higher-ranked player with more big tournament wins, including the 2023 US Open and the 2024 WTA Finals. However, Paolini’s grit, durability, and the emotional support she will get from the fans will lift her game.
Gauff has a more physically demanding 3 1/2 hour semifinal match with Qinwen Zheng; however, Paolini is playing doubles, so she has logged her fair share of court time.
Coco Gauff leads the head-to-head 2-1, but Paolini’s win was on clay.
2. Women’s Doubles: Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani vs. Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermatova
Sunday TBD
11 – Jasmine Paolini is the first player to reach both Singles and Doubles finals in a season at the Italian Open since … her partner Sara Errani in 2014 (11 years ago). Leadership.#IBI25 | @InteBNLdItalia @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/0BoPQP3uqx
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) May 16, 2025
Paolini can win two titles within a 24-hour time span if she gets by Gauff and then joins partner Sara Errani in defense of their 2024 Italian Open title against Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermatova.
Mertens and Kudermatova are a powerhouse doubles team; however, they took some time off and are recently reunited. They lost the Madrid Open final to Sorana Cirstea and Anna Kalinskaya.
3. Men’s Singles: Jannik Sinner vs. Carlos Alcaraz
Sunday TBD
SINNER VS ALCARAZ: EPISODE XI ⚔️
For the first time *EVER* in a Masters 1000 final, it’s Jannik Sinner vs Carlos Alcaraz!!!#IBI25 pic.twitter.com/zwagMHIla3
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) May 16, 2025
From the beginning of the Italian Open, tennis fans have wondered if this dream final could happen. Jannik Sinner, fresh off a three-month suspension, has shown moments of sheer brilliance in his first tournament back. He is trying to become the first Italian man in nearly 50 years to win his home tournament.
Carlos Alcaraz has played well through the clay court season despite sustaining injury and being forced to sit out of the Madrid Open.
