Paolini Dominates Gauff for Third Consecutive Time and Advances to Cincinnati Semifinals

The last quarterfinal match of the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati featured Jasmine Paolini against Coco Gauff. The two players met for the third time in the 2025 season.

So far, the Italian has won both of their encounters this year, leveling their head-to-head record to 2-2 after her victory on the clay courts of Rome last May.

In a match filled with breaks (14 in total, 7 for each player), it was the world No. 2 who got off to the stronger start. Gauff wrapped up the first set in just 37 minutes.

While the second set began evenly, Paolini eventually found her rhythm and leveled the match. Then, in the decisive third set, the Italian once again took control.

After rolling her ankle in the opening game of the third set, the two-time Grand Slam finalist accelerated in the final stretch, winning the last three games to secure her spot in the semifinals (2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in 2 hours and 1 minute).

Paolini has now defeated Gauff three times in a row, despite trailing 0-2 against the American before the current season began. After Stuttgart and Rome, the 29-year-old has now gotten the better of the Roland-Garros champion in Cincinnati.

For the third time this season after Miami and Rome, the world No. 9 has reached the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event. To secure a spot in her third final at this tournament level, she will need to overcome Veronika Kudermetova.

The Russian defeated the last remaining French player, Varvara Gracheva, in the quarterfinals (6-1, 6-2). Kudermetova leads their head-to-head 3-1 and won their most recent encounter at the... Cincinnati tournament in 2021.