The 2025 Internazionali BNL d’Italia offered a rich tapestry of narratives, with local triumphs, unexpected exits, and rising stars making their mark. Here’s a professional analysis of five standout performances during the tournament.
Winner – Jasmine Paolini
Jasmine Paolini etched her name in history by becoming the first Italian woman to win the Rome title since Raffaella Reggi in 1985. In the final, she dominated Coco Gauff 6–4, 6–2, capitalizing on the American’s 55 unforced errors and seven double faults. Paolini dropped just one set throughout the tournament and showed remarkable consistency on home soil. Her title run vaults her to a career-high ranking of World No. 4, leapfrogging Iga Swiatek in the process. She also clinched the doubles crown alongside Sara Errani, marking a rare and commendable double victory in front of her home crowd.
Loser – Iga Swiatek
Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek suffered a rare early exit, falling to Danielle Collins in the third round (1–6, 5–7). It marked her first loss in Rome since 2020 and pushed her out of the WTA top 2 for the first time since March 2022. The defeat continues a surprisingly dry run for Swiatek on clay in 2025, having yet to reach a final this season.
Winner – Payton Stearns
Peyton Stearns made a remarkable run to the semifinals, becoming the first player in the Open Era to win three consecutive matches in third-set tiebreaks. Her victories over Madison Keys, Naomi Osaka, and Elina Svitolina showcased her resilience and mental toughness, signaling her emergence as a rising star on the tour.
Loser – Elena Rybakina
A semifinalist in Rome last year, Elena Rybakina couldn’t replicate her 2023 form and was ousted in the Round of 16 by Andreescu (2-6, 4-6). Rybakina was undone by only 46% of 1st serve and too much unforced errors. Her struggles to control long rallies on clay, combined with physical inconsistency highlight ongoing concerns about her form heading into the French Open. Rome marks her fourht straight tournament without reaching the quarterfinals.
Winner – Qinwen Zheng
Zheng Qinwen reached her third WTA 1000 semifinal after defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6–3, 6–4 marking her first win over a top-5 opponent in 2025. Zheng became just the second Chinese player to reach the Rome semifinals, following in the footsteps of Li Na. The result adds momentum ahead of Roland-Garros, where she has never gone past the fourth round but won the Gold medal in the Olympics.
