Coco Gauff fell short of a 10th WTA Tour title at the Italian Open, where she lost the final to Jasmine Paolini.

Paolini praised Gauff after winning their Italian Open final in Rome, where the Italian also won the WTA doubles title.

She triumphed alongside compatriot Sara Errani on the clay surface, having beaten Gauff 6-4, 6-2 in the singles final.

Gauff comfortably beat Emma Raducanu and saw off the likes of Mirra Andreeva and Qinwen Zheng en route to the final.

The American fourth seed also knocked out Victoria Mboko and Magda Linette before eventually falling to sixth seed Paolini.

Photo by Tullio Puglia/Getty Images

Coco Gauff left Rennae Stubbs worried in first point of Italian Open final against Jasmine Paolini

The champion took one hour and 29 minutes to clinch her third WTA career title, with former professional Rennae Stubbs now sharing her verdict on the match.

She said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast: “The thing that I was worried about immediately for Coco was the very first point.

“I was like this is not going to go well for her today because when you step up to the line everybody is nervous.

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“That is when you have to have that three-quarter pace first serve, to get it in and start the point.

Coco when she gets her serve in the court can beat anyone, but when you are giving someone free point after free point after free point that is a free point.

“You might as well just walk to the other side. It’s like a point penalty.

The first point, double fault. I was like Oh my God, no.

“That set the tone immediately. If I am playing against her and I’m Paolini and I’m like I am hitting the ball good, I am seeing it like a watermelon and I know her well, I know I can play on this court, I am going to have the crowd on my side.

“What do I need to do to beat Coco? I need to break her forehand down and I need to hope she does not serve well.

Photo by Tullio Puglia/Getty Images

“She did against Iga, for example, she served unbelievably in that match.

First point I am standing there and I’m nervous myself. Double fault.

“I’m like well you are way more nervous than me and arguably one of her weapons, the first serve, is not going in. I am going to kick your a– today. That would have been my first thought.”

Coco Gauff vs Jasmine Paolini Italian Open final key stats

Gauff and Paolini were meeting for a fourth time in their careers in the Italian Open final, with their head-to-head record now level at 2-2.

The American won their first two clashes, both on hard courts, with the Italian then levelling the rivalry by winning their two clay court matches.

One of those victories came just last month, when Paolini knocked Gauff out of Stuttgart at the quarter-final stage.

But the 2023 US Open champion quickly recovered to reach the final of the Madrid Open, although Gauff lost her meeting with Aryna Sabalenka.

Coco Gauff vs Jasmine Paolini Italian Open final key stats (WTA Tour stats)

And despite back-to-back final defeats, the 21-year-old should now be confident of a strong run at the French Open.

A WTA rankings rise to number two should also help, with her recent opponent Paolini having also climbed one spot up into fourth.