Gauff saves match point to reach third straight Rome quarter-final
Coco Gauff (No 3) recovered to win 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 against Iva Jovic in Rome. The 17-year-old American had no second serve to lean on – 10 double faults, 33% of points won – and Gauff just had to last her out. Third consecutive Rome quarter-final at 21.
Coco Gauff, Rome 2026 | © Foto FIPT
Coco Gauff is back in the Rome WTA 1000 quarter-finals for a third year running, the No. 3 seed surviving a match point to defeat American teenager Iva Jovic 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 in the round of 16 on a windy, interruption-strewn Campo Centrale.
The match was a mess of broken serve – 14 breaks across three sets, with neither player able to string holds together. It was Jovic, 17, who looked the more likely winner for long stretches. She took the opening set 7-5 and led 5-4 in the second, helding a match point on her serve. Gauff saved it, broke back, and never looked back.
The third set went with serve until 2-2, then to Gauff in a rush.
The numbers behind the win were Jovic’s second serve, not Gauff’s first. The American teenager hit 10 double faults and won just 33% of her second-serve points, gifting Gauff a route back into every game she needed. Gauff did not need to play her best tennis; she just needed to stay on the court longer than Jovic could hold her nerve.
The conditions today weren’t easy. We had wind. We had airplanes. We had phones ringing. Everything was going on.
This is Gauff’s fourth Rome quarter-final at the age of 21 – and her fifth top-20 win of the season.
The conditions did not help. Wind, low-flying aircraft over the Foro Italico, and even ringing phones in the stands made for a stop-start afternoon, and Gauff acknowledged the chaos in her on-court interview. “I think I’m just proud. Iva played really good tennis. The conditions today weren’t easy. We had wind. We had airplanes. We had phones ringing. Everything was going on. But I’m really happy. Thanks to my team for helping me. That pep talk definitely helped me mentally.”
She also read the room — the Italian crowd was on countdown to Jannik Sinner’s evening session, and Gauff played along: “I know you guys are ready for Jannik Sinner. Can we get some cheers for Jannik? OK, OK. Wait. Can I have like just a little cheer for me too?”
Italian crowd will now cheer for Coco in the quarter finals against Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Elise Mertens (6-3, 6-3).
Rome Masters 2026 WTA – Quarter-finals
Cirstea (26) vs Noskova (13) : 6-2, 6-4
Ostapenko vs Kalinskaya (22) : 6-1, 6-2
Gauff (3) vs Jovic (16) : 5-7, 7-5, 6-2
Andreeva (8) vs Mertens (21) : 6-3, 6-3
Pegula (5) vs Potapova : Monday
Osaka (15) vs Swiatek (4) : Monday
Svitolina (7) vs Bartunkova : Monday
Pliskova vs Rybakina (2) : Monday
