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Elina Svitolina brutally trolls Coco Gauff at Italian Open final; ‘left in tears…’ - Watch
Coco Gauff had a nightmare moment in the opening set of the Italian Open final against Elina Svitolina
Coco Gauff had a nightmare moment in the opening set of the Italian Open final against Elina Svitolina on Saturday. Emotions were boiling, and the 22-year-old ultimately broke down in tears. The moment went viral on social media.
What happened to Coco Gauff?
Gauff looked firmly in control early in the contest following a brief rain delay at the Foro Italico. The American raced into a 4-2 lead in the first set and appeared on course to justify her status as the slight favorite heading into the championship clash.
Instead, the momentum shifted dramatically.
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Double fault sparks emotional reaction
Svitolina stormed back by winning four consecutive games to snatch the set 6-4, capitalising on a string of errors from Gauff during the closing stages.
The decisive moment came on set point when Gauff, trailing 3-5 and facing 40 on her serve, produced a double fault to hand the set away. While Svitolina celebrated the turnaround with an animated fist pump, television cameras immediately caught Gauff in visible distress on the other side of the net.
The 22-year-old appeared emotional during the changeover and was later seen striking herself on the head with her racket in frustration.
Videos of the incident quickly spread across social media, with fans reacting to the dramatic swing in momentum during the final.
Gauff had dominated early exchanges
Before the collapse, Gauff had started sharply and looked comfortable from the baseline, using her movement and aggressive returning to pressure Svitolina’s serve.
However, unforced errors slowly crept into her game as the set progressed, allowing the two-time Rome champion back into the contest. Svitolina remained composed throughout the comeback and took full advantage of the American’s dip in confidence.
The Ukrainian entered the final in strong form after defeating Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina during her run in Rome.
Gauff’s road to the final
Gauff had reached the Italian Open final for the second consecutive year after defeating Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinal earlier this week.
The victory marked her second WTA 1000 final appearance of the season following her runner-up finish to Aryna Sabalenka at the Miami Open in March.
Against Cirstea, Gauff also had to battle back after falling behind early before taking control of the match. A brief medical stoppage during the second set interrupted play after a spectator required assistance, but the American maintained focus to close out the win in straight sets.
The semifinal triumph capped off a demanding stretch for Gauff, who had already survived three consecutive three-set matches during her run to the final, including a tense battle against Iva Jovic.
“I think I learned a little bit more from each match,” Gauff said after reaching the final. “Those are the matches you get through... I’m really grateful to be in the final.”
