JASMINE PAOLINI became the first home winner of the Italian Open for 40 years with a dominant victory over Coco Gauff.

The 29-year-old, who reached the final of the French Open and Wimbledon last year in a breakthrough season, delighted the fans at the Foro Italico with a 6-4 6-2 success at the weekend.

No Italian had won one of the two singles titles in Rome since Raffaella Reggi back in 1985 but Paolini thoroughly merited her triumph.