Coco Gauff Overpowers Cirstea to Reach Second Straight Italian Open Final

ROME: Coco Gauff followed Sinner by reaching the Italian Open final for the second straight year after beating veteran Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-3 on Thursday.

The American star has struggled on clay this season, with a last-16 exit in the Madrid Open coming after a disappointing run to the quarterfinals in Stuttgart.

But she dealt with Romanian Cirstea — who is set to retire at the end of the year — professionally as Spring sunshine burst out on centre court, helped by a marked improvement in her often erratic service game.

The 24-year-old made only one double fault and got 79 percent of her first serves in play, and cut a confident figure on court ahead of a potential title clash with a revitalised Iga Swiatek.

Gauff was beaten by Jasmine Paolini in the last year’s final but could go one better ahead of her Roland Garros title defence. Agencies

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