Gauff edges Zheng in 3hr 34-minute epic to reach Rome final

American Coco Gauff edged out Chinese Qinwen Zheng, the No 8 seed 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (4) in an epic battle on Thursday night to reach the final of the Italian Open.

In a match that lasted three hours, 34 minutes and finished past midnight, Gauff came from 5-3 down in the third set to clinch victory, despite serving 15 double faults.

The American will play Italian Jasmine Paolini, the No 6 seed, next.

Earlier in the tournament, the 21-year-old American won against Canadian qualifier Victoria Mboko (3-6, 6-2, 6-1), Pole Magda Linette, the No 32 seed (7-5, 6-3), Emma Raducanu (6-1, 6-2) and Russian Mirra Andreeva, the No 7 seed (6-4, 7-6 (5)).

Zheng, ranked No 8, defeated Serb Olga Danilovic (6-1, 6-4), Pole Magdalena Frech, the No 26 seed (6-3, 6-2), Canadian Bianca Andreescu (7-5, 6-1) and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed (6-4, 6-3) in the previous rounds of the Rome tournament.

Roma WTA 1000, other semi-final result (Foro Italico, clay, EUR 6.009.593):

• Jasmine Paolini beat Peyton Stearns: 7-5, 6-1