Late bloomer Paolini is the first Italian woman to win the Rome event since Raffaella Reggi in 1985 after overcoming former US Open champion Gauff.
Jannik Sinner set up a blockbuster Italian Open final with Carlos Alcaraz by beating Tommy Paul 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 on Friday.
Carlos Alcaraz set up a semifinal meeting with Lorenzo Musetti at the Italian Open on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jack Draper in the last eight, while women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out.
Jannik Sinner came through the first true test of his comeback from a doping ban with Tuesday's straight-sets win over Francisco Cerundolo which took the world number one into the Italian Open quarter-finals.
Carlos Alcaraz reached the Italian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday after battling past Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to continue his bid for a first Rome title.
World number two Swiatek was hunting a fourth title at the Foro Italico but failed to get past the third round of the last major tournament before the French Open.
The Russian added a first clay trophy to his 19-title collection with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Holger Rune in the Italian Open final in Rome.
Elena Rybakina will head to the French Open with the confidence that she can be as effective on clay as she is on the other two surfaces with her booming serve and groundstrokes after the Kazakh world number six won the Italian Open on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic eased into the Italian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday after breezing past Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4, although there was tension with the Briton after the top seed was hit by a smash.
Novak Djokovic makes a timely return to his brilliant best after a traumatic year and talks of rediscovering his lost "joy" for tennis as he thrashes Dominic Thiem to set up an Italian Open final meeting with young German Alexander Zverev.
Defending champion and world number one Andy Murray was swept aside by home favourite Fabio Fognini at the Italian Open on Tuesday, being completely outplayed in a 6-2 6-4 defeat.
Roger Federer says 'time was ticking' in his battle to recover form and fitness for the French Open after losing to rising Austrian Dominic Thiem 7-6 (2) 6-4 in the third round of the Italian Open.
17-time Swiss Major winner Roger Federer, fighting for full fitness, suffers a straight-sets defeat to rising Austrian star Dominic Thiem in the third round of the Rome Masters.
Top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic will face second seed Roger Federer in Sunday's Italian Open final after both claimed straight sets wins.
