Boris Becker explains what happened during Coco Gauff and Qinwen Zheng’s Italian Open semi-final that left him ‘particularly happy’
Boris Becker, the six-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1, expressed his delight at Coco Gauff’s performance in her thrilling 2025 Italian Open semi-final victory over Qinwen Zheng on May 15, describing himself as “particularly happy” with the match’s intensity and its implications for women’s tennis. Speaking on Sky Sports, Becker highlighted the three-hour, 32-minute marathon, which Gauff won 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(4), as a showcase of “everything you want to see in a semi-final.” He praised both players’ resilience, noting, “The fight, the passion, the quality of shot-making—it was a privilege to watch. Coco’s mental strength and Qinwen’s power made it a classic.”[](https://www.tennis.com/baseline/articles/all-heart-coco-gauff-finds-a-way-in-rome-semifinal-marathon-against-zheng-qinwen)
The match, the longest of Gauff’s career and the 2025 WTA season, saw 19 service breaks and a combined 156 unforced errors, reflecting its scrappy yet fiercely competitive nature. Gauff, the No. 4 seed, overcame a 5-3 deficit in the third set, capitalizing on Zheng’s failure to serve out the match, and clinched both tiebreaks with clutch play, including a decisive forehand winner. Becker was particularly impressed by Gauff’s ability to “flip the switch” under pressure, especially after her 16 double faults, saying, “She wasn’t at her best technically, but her heart and defense pulled her through.” Zheng, the Olympic champion, pushed Gauff with her aggressive baseline game, but her 74 unforced errors and 10/27 break point conversion rate proved costly.[](https://www.si.com/onsi/serve/news/coco-gauff-outlasts-qinwen-zheng-in-italian-open-semifinal)
Becker also noted the match’s significance as a French Open warm-up, stating, “This kind of battle prepares Coco perfectly for Roland Garros. She’s got the grit to go deep.” Gauff’s victory, her third over Zheng (including a 2024 Rome quarterfinal and WTA Finals win), propelled her to the final against Jasmine Paolini, though she lost 6-4, 6-2. Fans on X, like @TennisFan123, echoed Becker’s enthusiasm, calling it “a semi-final for the ages.” The match underscored Gauff’s rise to No. 2 in the WTA rankings and her clay-court prowess, setting high expectations for her French Open campaign starting May 25.[]
