The WTA Rome tournament semifinals are set for Thursday. The WTA picture has changed a lot during these two weeks in Rome. The tournament began with Aryna Sabalenka being the top seed and the probable favorite for the French Open. Now, as the semifinals begin, Iga Swiatek is on a roll, and Coco Gauff is continuing to win tough matches. Sorana-Mihaela Cirstea is playing the best tennis of her career at age 36. Elina Svitolina is still a force to be reckoned with. A lot is going on. LWOS has our best bets for the two semifinal matches on Thursday. Post your best bets and thoughts in the comments.
WTA Rome
Cirstea – Gauff: Time 9:00 EST
H2H: 0-3
Sorana-Mihaela Cirstea beat World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Rome and was able to win more matches on top of that. She beat Linda Noskova and then former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko. Cirstea is playing her best tennis and will gain her best career ranking next week at age 36, in what is her last season on the tour. Maybe Cirstea will rethink her decision and will keep playing into 2027, but it could be that making the decision to retire has given her more relaxation. There is less pressure and more enjoyment. Cirstea goes up against Coco Gauff, who won another tough three-set match in the quarterfinals against Mirra Andreeva. Gauff lost the first set but rallied to win in three. She’s very tough.
Best Bet to Make
Gauff is 3-0 against Cirstea, but all three matches have gone three sets. They have met twice in 2026, and both matches went three sets. You could simply bet on this match going three sets (over 2.5 sets), and get a great price, but we think it’s a little safer to expect Cirstea to win one set. She is playing really well right now, and it’s hard to think Gauff will roll right through her. Cirstea will manage to push this match into a third set at the very least.
That being said, betting on Cirstea +1.5 is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Cirstea +1.5 sets @1.75 @10Bet
Swiatek – Svitolina: Time 14:30 EST
H2H: 4–2
Iga Swiatek has found some real momentum. She crushed Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the third round, then pounded Naomi Osaka in the Round of 16, and then blew out Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals. Swiatek had been drifting through her 2026 season, but has gained confidence and happiness. She is now playing a lot more like the champion many people remember. Elina Svitolina got a very big win, beating No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. Svitolina lost the first set 6-2 but then controlled the second and third sets for one of her best wins of 2026.
Best Bet to Make
Because Iga Swiatek has caught fire, it’s going to be hard for anyone to stop her. Swiatek entered Rome without a lot of victories or confidence in recent weeks. She wasn’t healthy in Madrid. She failed to win Stuttgart earlier in the spring clay season. She didn’t do a lot at either Indian Wells or Miami. She was trying to find a spark. In Rome, she found it. Swiatek is a great clay player when her shots are firing. In the past few matches, she has seemingly rediscovered rhythm and energy. When she’s comfortable on her best surface, good things usually happen for her. We aren’t going to bet against her, even though Svitolina made a statement with her win against Rybakina.
That being said, betting on Swiatek winning 2:0 is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Swiatek winning 2:0 @2.10 @bet-at-home
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports