Jovic advanced to the next stage of the Rome tournament after defeating Taylor Townsend in a match that stretched late into the night. Despite the late finish, she displayed determination and composure to secure the win and continue her strong run on the clay courts.
Gratitude to the fans
Following the match, Jovic expressed her appreciation for the supporters who stayed until the end. “Went past my bedtime but got the W😴😴 Massive thank you to all the fans who stayed out so late, you got me through,” she posted, highlighting the role of the crowd in helping her push through the late-night battle.
Preparing for Coco Gauff
With the victory over Townsend, Jovic now turns her attention to her upcoming clash with Coco Gauff. The matchup promises to be a compelling contest, as Gauff has established herself as one of the most exciting young talents in tennis. Jovic’s resilience in Rome sets the stage for what could be a thrilling encounter in the next round.
WTA Rome - Cori Gauff's projected path
Gauff in Rome, ranking, and results in 2026
Now ranked no.4, Gauff owns a 21-8 match record in 2026. Coco is now playing in Rome where she toppled the world no.48 Tereza Valentova 6-3 6-4 and the world no.72 Solana Sierra 5-7 6-0 6-4.
Cori Gauff will square off with the world no.17 Iva Jovic in the 4th round. They have never played each other till now in top events.
The American was the runner-up in Miami (Miami Open).
Gauff won 12 titles in her career: 8 on hard courts, 2 on clay courts and 2 on indoor courts. (See the list of her titles)
Taylor Townsend in 2026
Ranked no.96, Taylor played her last match on the 9th of May when she was overcome by world no.17 Iva Jovic 7-5 6-2 in the 3rd round in Rome (draw).
This season the American owns a composed 14-7 record. Taylor Townsend’s best accomplishment of this year was reaching the final in Austin.
Cori Gauff and Taylor Townsend fought against each other just on 1 occasion. Their head to head is 1-0 for Townsend.
