Roland Garros Tennis Tournament in France - Paolini and Andreyeva achieve unexpected semifinal advancement.
Out of nowhere, two underdogs have advanced to the semi-finals at the French Open. Firstly, Italian player Jasmine Paolini earned her most significant victory thus far by outplaying former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Next, 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva amazed everyone by defeating physically struggling world number two Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4. Now, Andreeva is the youngest semi-finalist at a Grand Slam since Swiss star Martina Hingis (16).
Andreeva, trained by former top player, Conchita Martinez, spoke about her tremendous win: "Right now, I can't even remember the score. I just tried to focus on myself." Sabalenka, who endured pain throughout the match, tried to cope with medical timeouts and painkillers, yet nothing seemed to help.
Regarding the match with Paolini in the outsider semi-final on Thursday, Andreeva shared her thoughts: "She's a fast player who moves fast. I'll try to play at the same level as today." In the second semi-final, world number one Iga Swiatek from Poland and American sensation Coco Gauff will challenge each other.
Italy Leading the Way in Paris
Paolini further boosted the Italian celebrations in Paris. The day before, her compatriot Jannik Sinner (22) had already made it to the semi-finals among the men. According to sports data provider, Opta, this is the first time in the professional era that tennis players from Italy have reached the semi-finals of both singles events at a Grand Slam tournament. Sinner is also set to become the first Italian to dominate the world rankings regardless of the outcome of his match on Friday against the Spanish player Carlos Alcaraz, commencing in the coming week.
Paolini, overcome with emotion, expressed her feelings after her historic achievement: "It's an extraordinary sensation." During the second set, she got overly emotional: "In the second set, I was too emotional, then I told myself: She's a huge champion, that can happen. I persevered and came back."
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Jasmine Paolini's victory over Elena Rybakina at the French Open marked her most significant success in Tennis, making her the talk of the tournament from Italy. Martina Hingis, a former Swiss tennis star, was the last 17-year-old to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, a feat mirrored by Russian newcomer Mirra Andreeva. Andreeva, mentored by Conchita Martinez, continues to impress with her tenacity, as seen in her win against Aryna Sabalenka.
Defeating Sabalenka was a challenging task for Andreeva, who had to navigate through the physical struggles of her Belarusian opponent. In the semifinals, Andreeva will face another formidable opponent in the form of top-ranked Iga Swiatek from Poland. Paolini, on the other hand, will tackle American sensation Coco Gauff in the opposite semi-final.
France has witnessed a wave of glory as both Italian players, Paolini and Sinner, have reached the semifinals of the French Open, marking a historic first for Italian tennis in the professional era. Despite facing tough competition, Paolini remains optimistic, citing her emotional rollercoaster as a testament to her resilience.
