Coco Gauff vs Qinwen Zheng Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Zheng good value in Rome semi-finals

A big WTA 1000 title is there for the taking, with Jasmine Paolini and Peyton Stearns squaring off in the other semi-final - who will take advantage and emerge with the silverware this weekend?

Gauff has finally recaptured her best tennis after a tough start to the season, coming into this clash having won nine of her last 10 matches, while Zheng is also back to top form after injury disrupted her beginning to 2025. The Chinese is full of confidence having snapped the winning streak of Madrid champion and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals, while she also overturned a previous 0-2 record in Rome quarter-finals.

Gauff herself will be aiming to break new ground in Rome after falling in the semi-finals to Iga Swiatek twice before. It should be a cracking contest, with both players back to their best tennis after a difficult last few months. Their most-recent meeting was decided in a final-set tiebreak and clay should give Zheng more of a chance. I think Zheng is the value bet in what is closer to a 50-50 contest, with Over 20.5 total games also backed.

Gauff leads 2-0, prevailing 7-6 6-1 in the Rome quarter-finals last year before edging out a 3-6 6-4 7-6 victory at the WTA Finals at the end of 2024.

Gauff comes into this clash with a 23-7 record on the season, playing the sort of tennis that saw her end 2024 with a bang, securing big titles in Beijing and the WTA Finals.

After a Australian Open quarter-final exit, Gauff only managed to win five matches from Doha to Stuttgart, but she picked things back up again in Madrid.

Indeed, Gauff beat the likes of Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva and Belinda Bencic in straight sets before going down in the final to Sabalenka.

Gauff has continued her good form in Rome, overcoming teenager Victoria Mboko in three sets in her opening match before convincing straight set victories over Magda Linette, Emma Raducanu and Andreeva once again, improving to 4-0 against the boom teenager.

Zheng arrived in Rome barely winning over 50 per cent of her matches in 2025, but she's back to her best tennis at a tournament and country she's had success at in the past.

Italy is clearly a favourite stop on tour for Zheng - she's won two titles in Palermo and was a two-time quarter-finalist in Rome.

The reigning Olympic gold medalist has improved on those results this week in Rome, advancing to the semi-finals for the first time.

In fact, Zheng hasn't dropped a set in victories over Olga Danilovic, Magdalena Frech, Bianca Andreescu and Aryna Sabalenka.

Obviously the win over Sabalenka was huge for Zheng - she was 0-6 against the World No. 1, but this was their first meeting on clay and she was able to handle her opponent's power more comfortably, registering a 6-4 6-3 win.