The WTA has named the grueling Rome semifinal between Coco Gauff and Qinwen Zheng as its 2025 Match of the Year, a fan-voted honor that highlights one of the season’s most endurance-testing battles on clay.
Fans selected the three-hour, 22-minute clash from the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, where Gauff edged out Zheng 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(4) in a late-night thriller that stretched past midnight. The American teenager, then 21, fought back from deficits multiple times, including a tense third-set tiebreaker where Zheng grabbed an early mini-break. Gauff responded by winning seven of the next nine points to seal the win, marking the longest match of her career to date.
This semifinal served as a rematch of their 2024 WTA Finals showdown in Riyadh, where Gauff had also prevailed in a deciding tiebreaker. In Rome, the intensity ramped up on the red dirt, with both players trading heavy groundstrokes and testing each other’s resolve under the lights.
Gauff, seeded fourth, became the first American woman to reach the Rome final in nine years, though she fell short against Iga Swiatek in the championship match. For Zheng, the eighth seed, the loss came amid a season hampered by an elbow injury that required surgery after Wimbledon, sidelining her for over two months. She made a brief return in Beijing but retired mid-match, ending her year early despite strong showings earlier, including semifinals in Rome and quarterfinals at Roland Garros.
The match drew praise for its drama, with 44 break points created between the two and a combined 49 winners, but it wasn’t without its flaws. Observers noted 156 unforced errors and 20 double faults, turning parts of the contest into a gritty survival test rather than a display of flawless execution. Still, the raw competition captivated viewers, underscoring the rising rivalry between Gauff and Zheng, two young stars pushing the boundaries of women’s tennis.
Gauff’s path to the Rome final capped a solid clay-court swing for the American, who went on to claim her second Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros later that month. Her ability to grind out wins in extended rallies has become a hallmark, and this match exemplified her mental toughness.
“It was about staying in the moment,” Gauff said after the victory, reflecting on the pressure of the tiebreakers. Zheng, meanwhile, showed flashes of the power that made her a fan favorite, blasting forehands that kept Gauff on the defensive. Despite the defeat, her global support base remained strong, voting her as the Singles Fan Favorite of the Year.
The announcement came as part of the WTA’s broader fan awards, revealed this week to wrap up the 2025 season. In addition to Match of the Year, fans recognized standout moments across tournament levels. For the WTA 1000 category, Alexandra Eala’s semifinal run in Miami took the honor.
The 20-year-old Filipina, starting the year ranked outside the top 100, stunned three Grand Slam champions—Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek—in succession. Her upset of Swiatek marked only the third time the Polish world No. 1 had lost to a player ranked that low in a main draw, and the first in four years. Eala’s breakthrough propelled her into the top 100 and later the top 50, culminating in her first WTA 125 title in Guadalajara, making her the first Filipina to achieve these milestones.
In the WTA 500 division, Venus Williams‘ triumphant return in Washington, D.C., earned the Moment of the Year. The 45-year-old legend, absent from the tour for 16 months due to injuries, defeated then-No. 35 Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 in her opening match. At 22 years Stearns’ senior, Williams became the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova did so at 47 in 2004. Williams continued her comeback with appearances in Cincinnati and the US Open, where she reached the doubles quarterfinals alongside Leylah Fernandez, proving her enduring competitive fire.
The WTA 250 Moment went to the dramatic final in Eastbourne between Maya Joint and Alexandra Eala. Joint saved four championship points and rallied from 5-2 down in the third-set tiebreaker to win 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(10). The Australian converted her second match point with a backhand winner, securing her second title of the season in a contest that showcased resilience and clutch play on grass.
Rounding out the fan favorites, Jasmine Paolini claimed the Doubles Fan Favorite award. The Italian enjoyed a banner year, capturing her first Grand Slam doubles title at Roland Garros with Sara Errani and adding a Rome doubles crown on home soil. Paolini also led Italy to a successful defense of the Billie Jean King Cup, tallying 80 match wins across singles and doubles. Her consistent effort and positive demeanor resonated with supporters, evident even at the ATP Finals in Turin where fans showed up in droves.
While the Gauff-Zheng matchup topped the fan vote, the 2025 season offered plenty of other memorable encounters. Tennis.com highlighted several honorable mentions, including Aryna Sabalenka’s hard-fought Wimbledon quarterfinal win over Laura Siegemund, where the Belarusian’s power overcame Siegemund’s crafty tactics.
Another was Iga Swiatek’s comeback against Elena Rybakina in the Roland Garros fourth round, shifting from a 6-1, 2-0 deficit to a 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory that foreshadowed her Wimbledon triumph. Sabalenka’s US Open semifinal against Jessica Pegula also stood out, with Pegula saving match points in a hostile New York crowd before Sabalenka claimed her lone major of the year.
Debate swirled among fans about the top pick, with some arguing that Madison Keys’ Australian Open semifinal upset of Swiatek— a nail-biter where Keys shook off past Slam heartbreaks to win in three sets—deserved the nod. Others pointed to Keys’ final against Sabalenka in Melbourne or Pegula’s streak-ending victory over Sabalenka in Wuhan. Yet the Rome semifinal’s late-night suspense and high stakes captured the majority’s imagination.
As the WTA looks ahead to 2026, starting with the Australian swing, these awards celebrate a year of comebacks, breakthroughs, and rivalries. Gauff and Zheng’s Rome epic stands as a testament to the tour’s depth, where even imperfect matches can deliver unforgettable drama.
