Italian Open: Jasmine Paolini beats Peyton Stearns to reach Rome WTA final

Jasmine Paolini recovered from a slow start to reach the Italian Open final with a 7-5 6-1 victory against Peyton Stearns.

World number five Paolini struggled in the early stages and faced a set point when trailing 5-3 in the opener, but American Stearns was unable to hold serve.

The home favourite overturned the deficit to take the opening set before growing in confidence in the second.

Paolini’s win makes her the first Italian woman to reach the singles final in Rome since 2014 when her current doubles partner, Sara Errani, was beaten by Serena Williams.

Last year’s surprise French Open and Wimbledon runner-up, Paolini is attempting to become Italy’s first women’s singles champion in Rome for 40 years.

Her final opponent will be American world number three Coco Gauff or China’s Zheng Qinwen, who knocked out world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals.

“At the beginning, I was feeling so slow,” Paolini, 29, told Sky Sports.

“I told myself I had to hit the ball harder because she was playing amazing, but I managed to stay in there somehow and I won the match and I’m really happy about it.

“In the first round I was nervous and in the second also, and maybe again today, but the crowd was unbelievable and they helped me a lot. It’s beautiful to play here in Italy and they support us no matter what, so that is the most important thing.”

Asked about the final, Paolini said of her prospective opponents: “They are both very strong players with good forehands and can play with speed on the clay court. For sure, my coach will watch their match and we will prepare our tactics.”

Raffaella Reggi was the last Italian woman to win the singles title, in 1985.

Errani and Paolini won the women’s doubles last year.