We have reached the final at WTA Rome, and it features familiar faces. Elina Svitolina is a two-time winner at WTA Rome, winning in back-to-back years from 2017-18. She is also a three-time quarterfinalist, among other finishes here. Coco Gauff has yet to taste glory in Italy. She came close last year, but couldn’t finish the job. She was also a two-time semifinalist, as well. This final features two ladies hungry to add another title to their legacy, just for different reasons. One is looking to prove that she still belongs in the discussion for best player, the other is trying to finish a story that began in 2020. LWOS has our best bet for this final, but we want to hear your thoughts and wagers in the comments.
WTA Rome
Gauff – Svitolina: Time 11:00
H2H: 2-3
Coco Gauff enters this match at 8-2 in her last ten matches. Elina Svitolina also enters this match at 8-2 in her last ten matches. In fact, the two of them share a loss to the same opponent at the same tournament, just one round after each other. Karolina Muchova dumped Gauff in three sets in the Stuttgart quarterfinal; Svitolina met her end against Muchova in the semifinal at Stuttgart, also in three sets. Svitolina’s other loss was to Anna Bondar, while Linda Noskova was the one to hand Gauff her second loss. Both matches were in Madrid.
Gauff was a finalist here last year, and she lost to Jasmine Paolini. She was also a semifinalist in 2024 and 2021, so WTA Rome is a tournament that Gauff would love to add to her list of career titles. Gauff has not been able to finish the job in 2026, and she’s had five different tournaments where she’s been to, at least, the quarterfinals. She was also a finalist in Miami, but lost to Aryna Sabalenka.
Elina Svitolina has been a quiet killer in 2026. She only has one title to her name so far in 2026, but she’s definitely been showing she belongs in the top ten in the World. She’s been to the semifinals in six tournaments, and this is her third final of the year. She is not someone to be taken lightly, and she’s dumped Gauff twice this year. Once in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and again in the semifinals at WTA Dubai.
Best Bet to Make
The books have Gauff as a favorite, but I don’t like it one bit. It also doesn’t make much sense once you look into their history and their play entering Rome. Gauff is 87-31 in her career on clay, and Svitolina is 160-80. You’re looking at a 3:1 ratio and a 2:1 ratio, but with more matches overall. They’re both just similar enough, but I think Svitolina is slightly more tested and slightly more proven this year, never mind that she already has two wins over Gauff this year. I think there’s enough value in an upset by Svitolina to take the chance on it. If she wins, it will be a three-set war. If you really like Gauff, the number of matches should remain the same while you switch the outcomes.
That being said, Svitolina winning 1:2 is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Svitolina winning 1:2 @5.25 @Interwetten
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports