India, May 20 -- Jasmine Paolini claims she gets her tendency to smile - constantly - from her mother. On Saturday, she sang, danced, and smiled wider than she had ever before, at a packed Foro Italico in Rome.

With her 6-4, 6-2 win over Coco Gauff in the final, Paolini became the first Italian woman since Raffaella Reggina in 1985 to win the Italian Open title, and the first from the country since the tournament was shifted to the capital. A day later, she became the first since Monica Seles in 1990 to win both the singles and doubles titles at the event.

Her third singles WTA title - second at the 1000 Masters series and first on clay - takes her back to her career high world No.4 rank. What it should also do is secure her spot as one...