Tennis enthusiasts, get ready for some captivating action! - Paolini stuns with a spot in the French Open's semi-finals.
Italian tennis player Jasmine Paolini has reached a major milestone in her career by advancing to the semifinals of the French Open. The 28-year-old stunned former Wimbledon winner Jelena Rybakina from Kazakhstan in a close match with scores of 6:2, 4:6, 6:4. Rybakina, who was expected to win, acted nervously and committed a total of 48 unforced errors.
Paolini expressed her excitement after reaching her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal: "It's an unbelievable feeling. In the second set, I got a little too emotional. I told myself she's a big champion, and these things can happen. I kept fighting and managed to come back."
There was more good news for Italian tennis fans the day before as another of their compatriots, 22-year-old Jannik Sinner, also made it to the semifinals among the men. Sinner is set to become the new world number one rankings holder from the following week, regardless of the outcome of his match against Carlos Alcaraz on Friday.
Paolini is the fourth Italian player since the professional era to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament on clay. She will next face either Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus or 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andrejewa in the semifinals. The remaining quarterfinal match is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
