In the first semifinal of the 2026 WTA Italian Open at the Foro Italico in Rome, #3 seed Coco Gauff will face #26 seed Sorana Cirstea, who is on a remarkable farewell run. Gauff will be looking to make back-to-back Rome finals while Cirstea is aiming for her second WTA 1000 final. As always, we at LWOT will offer our predictions for this match, but who will advance to the final?
WTA Rome Semifinal Prediction
Coco Gauff vs Sorana Cirstea
Head-to-Head: Gauff 3-0 Cirstea
Coco Gauff came back from a set down to defeat Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals and reach her third consecutive Rome semifinal. It was a high-quality match between two of the best players in the world, but Gauff’s mental fortitude shone through once again. She has had to fight in her last three matches: she dropped the first set against Solana Sierra, saved a match point against Iva Jovic, and now this. Even when she is not playing at her best, her never-give-up attitude keeps her in the match and allows her to turn the tide.
Sorana Cirstea has been an example that players can improve until the end of their career, as she is playing the best tennis of her life. With her straight sets win over Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinal, Cirstea is confirmed to match her career-high ranking of #21, which she achieved back in 2013. If she manages to win against Gauff, she will make her Top 20 debut when the rankings get updated next week.
These two have met twice recently, both at the WTA 1000 level, with both matches going the distance. However, Gauff easily won the third set in those matches, indicating that Cirstea was unable to maintain her level for long. For the Romanian to win this, she must do it in straights, as Gauff tends to get better as the match progresses, and her mental strength and fitness will make her the favorite. I am going with the reigning French Open champion to win in three sets.
Prediction: Gauff in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
