Elena Svitolina defeated Iga Swiatek 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in a gripping semifinal at the Rome tournament, securing her place in the final against Coco Gauff. Svitolina's resilience in saving break points and capitalizing on Swiatek's unforced errors secured her the victory.

In the early hours of Friday at the "Foro Italico," Svitolina, the two-time champion, outlasted the three-time winner Swiatek to reach her first final since winning consecutive trophies in 2017-18.

"The feeling is just unreal to be back here in the final after so many years," Svitolina declared after her victory over Swiatek.

In the three sets, Swiatek racked up 50 unforced errors against just 28 winning shots.

Svitolina already has two wins over Swiatek this year. She advances to the final against Gauff with a 2-0 record against the American this year and a 3-2 overall head-to-head record.

"I definitely have a game plan. Not exactly now, but I will," the Ukrainian said.

"We've played many times. It's no surprise. Both of us know how to wage the battle. Our last match was out of this world. I'll watch it again to find ways... some tactics. I want to enjoy this victory. Tomorrow is a rest day... so I can rest, prepare, and be ready for the final," Svitolina added.

The age difference between Svitolina and Gauff – 9 years and 182 days – is the largest between finalists in Rome since 1990, when the title was contested by Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles (17 years and 45 days).