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July 12 2024
Paolini: On Thursday at Wimbledon, Jasmine Paolini fought hard to reach her second Grand Slam final in a row, winning an intense 2-hour and 51-minute match against Donna Vekic with scores of 2-6, 6-4, and 7-6 (10-8).
"I will always remember this match," said Paolini, 28, of Italy. Paolini is getting ready to face off against Barbora Krejcikova, the 2021 French Open champion, in the title match scheduled for this Saturday. Krejcikova defeated 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the other semifinal. Paolini kept coming back — after losing the first set, after missing two games to tie at 4-4 in the second set, after falling behind by a break twice at 3-1 and 4-3 in the third set on Centre Court.
"She expressed, 'It was such a whirlwind of emotions,' describing the intense highs and lows of the experience.
Consider: Vekic, making her Slam semifinal debut, won more points (118-111), hit more winners (42-26) and broke serve more often (4-3).
But No. 7 seed Paolini never gave up, eventually winning her third match point. That performance on the grass courts of the All England Club ranks second only to Iga Swiatek on red clay at Roland Garros last month.
Paolini is the first woman to reach the title match at the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season since Serena Williams in 2015 and 2016.
"The last few months have been crazy for me," Paolini said with a laugh.
Paolini's victory was not easy for either woman. Vekic often looked upset, crying between points or sitting in her changeover chair at the end of the third set. She would ice her right hand between games or turn red as she looked toward her guest box.
How amazing is Paolini's rise?
Before her breakthrough at the Australian Open in January, she hadn't gone beyond the second round in any major tournament. In fact, she faced early exits, losing in either the first or second rounds, in all of her previous 16 attempts. And then there's this: Paolini's career record at Wimbledon until this fortnight was 0-3. In fact, she hadn't scored a single tour-level win on grass until a tuneup event in Eastbourne last month.
Paolini finally broke through late in the second set, earning her first break points of the afternoon and keeping the match close. Her never-say-die attitude was evident at 4-all, when she raced with her back to the net and put her racket up on a lob, somehow getting it back over the net, and Vekic missed badly overhead.
"She was hitting winners everywhere. I was struggling a bit at the beginning," Paolini said. "But I was reiterating myself to fight for every ball."
Paolini held a 5-4 lead, then broke for the set with a forehand winner, looked toward her guest box -- where her relatives were on their feet after nearly every point -- and yelled, "Forza!" ("Let's go!")
After facing her fifth three-set match in six games, Vekic stepped away to regroup in the locker room before the final set. When she returned, she showed remarkable strength and determination, delivering a strong performance. She broke in the opening game, with a forehand return winner on her second serve, after Paolini missed a forehand on an 11-stroke exchange.
Soon Vekic took a 3-1 lead. After the break, she was 4-3 ahead.
But Paolini kept her momentum and now has a second chance to play for her first Slam trophy.
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