Iga Swiatek is out of the Italian Open after losing to Elina Svitolina in three sets. Svitolina won the first set 6-4 by playing strongly and making fewer mistakes.
Swiatek fought back in the second set and won 6-2, thanks to better attacking play.
In the final set, Svitolina took control again and won 6-2 to finish the match. The win is a big result for Svitolina and an unexpected defeat for Swiatek on clay.
Svitolina has won the Italian Open twice before. She claimed her first title in 2017, defeating Simona Halep in the final, and defended her crown in 2018 by defeating Halep again.
Speaking on her on-court interview, Svitolina said, “It’s amazing, the feeling is just unreal.
“After so many years, to be here again in the final is such an amazing feeling. And to do it in such a great way!”
The 31-year-old will face Coco Gauff in the final at Foro Italico in Rome. Svitolina and Gauff have played against each other five times, with Svitolina leading their head-to-head record 3-2.
Their most recent meeting was at the 2026 Australian Open, where Svitolina defeated Gauff in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3.
Earlier in the season, Svitolina also thrashed Gauff at the Dubai Tennis Championships with a 6-2, 7-5 victory.
Gauff’s wins over Svitolina was at the 2024 China Open, where she won 6-4, 6-3, and at the 2023 French Open quarter-final, where the American claimed a 6-4, 6-3 victory. Svitolina’s other win against Gauff came in Strasbourg in 2020, where she won 6-4, 6-3.
