Cincinnati Open 2025: Coco Gauff vs Jasmine Paolini preview, head-to-head, prediction and pick

Match details

Fixture: [2] Coco Gauff vs [7] Jasmine Paolini

Date: August 15, 2025

Tournament: Cincinnati Open

Round: Quarterfinal

Venue: Cincinnati, US

Category: WTA 1000

Surface: Hard

Prize Money: $5,152,599

Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN

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Coco Gauff vs Jasmine Paolini preview

Top-10 players Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini will lock horns in an exciting quarterfinal showdown at the 2025 Cincinnati Open on Friday.

Gauff, the second seed at this year’s tournament, is playing in her first quarterfinal since winning the French Open back in June. The American had suffered early exits at all the tournaments she has played since Paris, but seems to be finding her rhythm again.

Wins over Wang Xinyu and Lucia Bronzetti and a walkover from Dayana Yastremska meant that her season’s overall win-loss has improved to 35-11. She will look to keep the momentum going into the tournament.

Paolini is eyeing her first Cincinnati Open semifinal. (Source: Getty)

Paolini, much like Gauff, has struggled for form since the clay season. She had lifted a second career WTA 1000 title in Rome, but has not been able to reach another final since. Her season’s overall win-loss has added up to 31-13.

The Italian began her campaign with two tight wins over Maria Sakkari and Ashlyn Krueger before finding her best tennis in the fourth round against Barbora Krejcikova. Paolini was dominant in every aspect as she avenged last year’s Wimbledon final loss in quick time, 6-1, 6-2.

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Coco Gauff vs Jasmine Paolini head-to-head

The two players have split their four meetings on the Tour before, so their current head-to-head stands at a 2-2 deadlock. Paolini won their most recent meeting, which came in the Italian Open final.

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Coco Gauff vs Jasmine Paolini odds

(Odds to be updated when available)

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Coco Gauff vs Jasmine Paolini prediction

Gauff is former Cincinnati Open champ. (Source: Getty)

Coco Gauff has had good memories in Cincinnati, having lifted the trophy a couple of years ago. The hardcourts at the venue are not the quickest, a pace more comfortable for the American.

That said, Jasmine Paolini’s game is also well-suited for the conditions. The Italian likes to play long rallies and is extremely solid from the baseline. She can turn up the pace and infuse some heavy topspin in her groundstrokes, especially off the forehand.

That’s one key battle: the forehand. Gauff has had some well-documented troubles on that side and could end up coming up second best in forehand-to-forehand exchanges. She has also been struggling with her serve again, hitting an average of 10 double faults in her matches during this year’s US Open swing.

The former champ has not dropped a set yet, but has yet to face a player ranked inside the top-30. Paolini, meanwhile, has been battle-hardened by beating a seed and a Slam winner. The Italian has also played some untidy tennis of late, but if she can channel the form that she showed in her match against Barbora Krejcikova, she should prove too solid for Gauff.

Prediction: Paolini to win in two tight sets.