JASMINE PAOLINI became the first home winner of the Italian Open for 40 years with a dominant victory over Coco Gauff.

The 29-year-old, who reached the final of the French Open and Wimbledon last year in a breakthrough season, delighted the fans at the Foro Italico with a 6-4 6-2 success at the weekend.

No Italian had won one of the two singles titles in Rome since Raffaella Reggi back in 1985 but Paolini thoroughly merited her triumph.

Paolini came out firing and edged a tight first set before running away with the second amid a slew of Gauff errors.

By winning the title, Paolini guaranteed she will overtake Iga Swiatek to become world number four tomorrow and therefore obtain a top-four seeding for the French Open, which begins next weekend.

“It’s pure joy,” the Italian told a press conference. “It’s a dream to win in Rome, of course, for maybe every kid that’s playing in Italy. It’s amazing.”

Gauff has returned to form on the European clay after a difficult few months but has finished runner-up in both the major events, with this loss following one against Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid a fortnight ago.

“I think it’s both confidence and motivation to do better,” said the American. “Hopefully I can get to the final in Roland Garros and maybe the ‘third time is a charm’ thing is a real thing. That’s looking so far ahead.

“Overall I lost to two quality opponents, Aryna in Madrid and Jasmine here. So I think I have a lot to improve, a lot that I can work on.”

Katie Boulter, meanwhile, reached the first clay-court final of her career at the Trophee Clarins in Paris.

Dropping down to WTA 125 level, the tier just below the main tour, has paid off for the British number one, who defeated France’s Varvara Gracheva 6-0 3-6 6-3 to set up a final clash with another home player, Chloe Paquet.