Coco Gauff’s Italian Open ended in frustration last Saturday, as she lost 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 to Elina Svitolina in the Rome final.
The run still gave Gauff important clay-court momentum before Roland Garros, which she had spoken about wanting earlier in the tournament.
Yet it clearly did not fulfil her. The 22-year-old American made that plain afterwards, using Instagram to joke about the painful theatre of losing a final.
Coco Gauff jokes about painful trophy ceremony
After the defeat, Gauff posted an Instagram story titled: “Top-5 horror movies.” Her list was entirely built around the awkwardness that follows losing a tennis final.
She listed: “1. sitting through a trophy ceremony after you lose,” then added “2. talking after you lose, 3. smiling with your finalist trophy.”
Gauff repeated the theme with “4. sitting through trophy ceremony when you lose” and “5. ceremony after you lose.”
However, the two-time Grand Slam champion also added that it was not meant to be taken seriously.
“Also, before the think-pieces come, this is a joke and I’m smiling while writing this. Thought it would be funny, not meant to be taken seriously lol before the people with no humor get mad,” Gauff stated.
Elina Svitolina continues clear trend against Coco Gauff
The defeat also continued a growing pattern in Gauff’s rivalry with Svitolina. Before the final, Svitolina had already won their previous two meetings.
She also carried a 3-2 head-to-head advantage across their five-match history, giving the Rome final extra significance beyond the trophy itself.
Svitolina has now stretched that record to 4-2. For Gauff, the Italian Open still brought progress, but it also showed one matchup becoming increasingly difficult.
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