Non-locals create a stir in Paris.
In the French Open semi-finals, Jasmine Paolini and Mirra Andreeva, two unexpected players, are set to face each other after defeating former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and world number two Aryna Sabalenka respectively. While taking on Sabalenka, the 17-year-old Andreeva has become the youngest semi-finalist at a Grand Slam tournament since the 16-year-old Martina Hingis 27 years ago.
For the young Russian, this winning streak with former top player Conchita Martinez as her trainer was a life-changing experience. Following this win, she shared, "I've even forgotten what the result is. I've tried to focus only on myself." Meanwhile, Sabalenka struggled physically throughout the match, with medical timeouts and painkillers providing no respite.
With this victory, both Paolini and Andreeva will face each other in the semi-finals on Thursday. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek from Poland and Coco Gauff from the United States will compete against each other. The Italian festivities in Paris don't end there - just the previous day, world number 15 Jannik Sinner, an Italian countryman, reached the men's singles semifinals. As a result, tennis professionals from Italy are making their presence felt in both Grand Slam tournaments' semi-finals, an unprecedented accomplishment in the professional era.
Sinner's success will make him the first Italian to attain the number one ranking in the world. He said after his win, "It's an incredible feeling." Paolini, who also reached her first Grand Slam semi-final, remarked, "In the second set, I was too emotional, then I told myself: She's a big champion, that can happen. I kept fighting and came back."
In conclusion, these unexpected wins have brought joy to not only the winners but also their fans, and the semi-finals will undoubtedly be a spectacle to watch as Italian players create history in the tennis world.
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The French Open semifinals will feature an exciting match between Jasmine Paolini and Mirra Andreeva, two Italian tennis players who surprised everyone by defeating elite competitors. This upcoming tennis spectacle at the French Open is a testament to the rising talent in Italian tennis, following the success of Jannik Sinner in the men's singles semifinals.
