Italian tennis star Jasmine Paolini has made an extraordinary breakthrough, advancing to her first Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open. The 28-year-old secured a remarkable 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina on Wednesday, overcoming a determined comeback from her opponent.
Ranked 12th, Paolini now prepares to face either world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus or Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals. Their quarter-final match is set to take place later on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Reflecting on her historic win, Paolini expressed her elation, stating, “It’s an unbeatable feeling. It was a tough match.” She joins the elite company of Italian women—Francesca Schiavone, Sara Errani, and Martina Trevisan—who have reached the Roland Garros semi-finals in the Open era.
The match saw Paolini start confidently, winning the first two games and putting immense pressure on Rybakina’s serve. She clinched the first set with a dominant performance. Despite losing her composure in the second set, Paolini reminded herself of Rybakina’s champion status and fought back with renewed determination.
A brilliant backhand winner earned Paolini an early break in the second set, but Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, responded fiercely. The two exchanged breaks, and Rybakina managed to level the match at one set each, recovering from a break down in the final set.
Paolini held serve to love at 4-4 and capitalized on Rybakina’s errors to close out the match, securing a memorable victory.
Expressing her joy, Paolini said, “It’s my first time playing on this beautiful court. It’s a pleasure. It’s really a privilege. I’m happy I got the win in my first match here, because this is one of the best courts in tennis.”
In an exciting turn for Italian tennis, both Paolini and Jannik Sinner have reached the semi-finals, marking the first time in the Open era that Italians have advanced to the last four in both the men’s and women’s singles at a major tournament.
Jasmine Paolini, 28-year-old Italian who had never been past the 2d round in a major until this season, is into the #RolandGarros semifinals with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory over No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina that will put Paolini into the top 10
Sorpresa! Italy with semifinalist in… pic.twitter.com/5xC3AVB6Lt
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) June 5, 2024
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