Coco Gauff completely fails to realize her opponent Zheng Qinwen has strayed away mid-game in shocking Italian Open moment

Coco Gauff produced a rather bizarre moment during her hard-fought semifinal win over Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals of the 2025 Italian Open. It involved the American hitting a serve without realizing that her Chinese opponent wasn't in a position to return it.

On Thursday, May 15, Gauff and Zheng clashed on the Foro Italico's iconic Center Court for a place in the women's singles final of the prestigious claycourt event's WTA 1000 tournament. The American clinched the first set 7-6(3), but the Chinese leveled things up by winning the second 6-4.

The third set began perfectly for Coco Gauff, as she broke Zheng Qinwen in the first game and then led the Chinese 30-0 in the second. Here, as Gauff prepared to serve, Zheng headed to her courtside bench to change her racket. Bizarrely, the 2023 US Open champion had no idea about where her opponent was and hit a serve. Upon realizing what she had done, Gauff covered her face with her hand in embarrassment.

Watch the moment unfold below:

Gauff went on to seal her place in the 2025 Italian Open's women's singles final after clinching the third set 7-6(4).

Coco Gauff to lock horns with home favorite Jasmine Paolini in women's singles final at Italian Open 2025

Jasmine Paolini after winning her women's singles semifinal match against Peyton Stearns at the 2025 Italian Open (Source: Getty)

Coco Gauff is likely to face a tough time in the final against Jasmine Paolini. The Italian is in red-hot form, having dropped just one set so far in Rome. Also, Paolini is sure to be vociferously backed by the Italian crowd, which means that Gauff's mentality has to be on point if she is to have any chance of coming out on top against Paolini.

In terms of the pair's WTA Tour-level head-to-head, it's the American with the advantage. Gauff and Paolini have faced each other on three previous occasions, and the former has won two of them. Both the wins came on hard courts (2021 Adelaide International and 2023 Cincinnati Open).

Concerningly for the American though, the last time she faced Paolini, in the quarterfinals of this year's Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, it was the Italian who triumphed. It was the pair's sole meeting on clay so far.

Interestingly, Paolini has already got the better of Gauff at the 2025 Italian Open. In the women's doubles quarterfinals, Paolini and Sara Errani edged Gauff and Alexandra Eala in three sets.