Jasmine Paolini Outlasts Coco Gauff in Cincinnati Open Quarterfinals

MASON, OH – Jasmine Paolini pulled off a thrilling comeback against world No. 2 Coco Gauff on Friday night at the Cincinnati Open, winning 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals.

Gauff, the reigning French Open champion, struggled with her serve, tallying 16 double faults in the match. The defeat marked her third consecutive loss to Paolini this year, following defeats in Rome and Stuttgart.

In the first set, it appeared Gauff was in control, breaking Paolini’s serve three times to win 6-2. However, that momentum shifted in the second set as Gauff’s serving difficulties began to surface. Despite leading 3-1, her serve faltered, allowing Paolini to break her serve and take the set 6-4.

The turning point came early in the third set when Paolini twisted her ankle while hitting a forehand. After receiving treatment, she managed to break Gauff’s serve despite her injury, taking a 2-0 lead. Gauff, visibly frustrated, struggled to regain her form as her errors mounted.

“I tried to fight every point, and it worked,” Paolini said after her victory.

After exchanging breaks, Paolini finally broke Gauff’s serve at 4-3 and served for the match, ending it with Gauff hitting a forehand into the net. Overall, Gauff’s 62 unforced errors contributed to Paolini’s win.

Paolini’s victory advances her to her third WTA 1,000 semifinal of 2025, where she will face Veronika Kudermetova. Meanwhile, Gauff heads to the U.S. Open, aiming to regain her form after a difficult match.