Paolini wins brace of Italian Open titles with doubles triumph

ROME: Jasmine Paolini became the first woman since Monica Seles in 1990 to win the Italian Open singles and doubles titles when she and Sara Errani beat Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens 6-4, 7-5 on Sunday.

The Italian duo -- who delivered Italy their first ever Olympic tennis gold in Paris last year -- came back from four games down in both sets to retain their title. On Saturday Paolini became the first Italian woman to win the Rome singles title since Raffaella Reggi in 1985 after overcoming former US Open champion Coco Gauff in straight sets.

Paolini, who lashed home the winning forehand on a sunny centre court, is the second woman to win the singles and doubles at a 1000 series event, the first being Vera Zvonareva at Indian Wells in 2009. Paolini´s compatriot Jannik Sinner could make it a trio of Italian wins this weekend when the world number one plays Carlos Alcaraz in the men´s final later on Sunday.