Paolini wins epic Wimbledon semifinal
In the Wimbledon semifinals, Jasmine Paolini of Italy faces setbacks but advances to the final. It's her second chance at her first Grand Slam title. Donna Vekic of Croatia loses control of her emotions before the match even begins.
Next title opportunity for late bloomer Jasmine Paolini: Shortly after her loss in the final of the French Open, the Italian reached the final of Wimbledon. The 28-year-old fought her way through to the semifinals on Thursday at the Wimbledon grass-court classic, winning 2:6, 6:4, 7:6 (10:8) against an emotional Donna Vekic.
Following 2 hours and 51 minutes of play, Paolini converted her third match point - the longest women's semifinal in Wimbledon history. "I will always remember this match," said Paolini: "It was really challenging, a rollercoaster of emotions. The past few months have been crazy for me, I'm enjoying the moment." In her currently successful tennis homeland, Paolini is rising to stardom. "Jasmine, you're amazing," wrote "Gazzetta dello Sport." The "Tuttosport" already calls her "legendary."
At a sunny afternoon following rainy Wimbledon days, Vekic dominated initially with her powerful play. Before nearly 15,000 spectators on Centre Court, she won the first set with two breaks at 3:2 and 5:2. Vekic, who took a break from tennis before the French Open, could not utilize the advantage of the first set win or her leads in the third set. The 1.63-meter tall Italian fought back and had already been at 5:4 and 6:5 with match points. But only in the tiebreaker could she hold her ground.
Paolini, who will break into the Top 5 in the world rankings, faces the Kazakh Elena Rybakina or the Czech Barbora Krejcikova in the final on Saturday. She prepares to become the third Italian player, after Francesca Schiavone (Paris/2010) and Flavia Pennetta (New York/2015), to win a Major title.
Vekic's chance for a major coup was once again denied. Since the start of professional tennis in 1968, only three other players have participated in Majors more frequently and then reached their first final at the highest level. Paolini also had to wait a long time. The athlete from Tuscany had never advanced past the second round in 16 appearances on the Grand Slam stage before this year. She changed that with her appearance in the quarterfinals in Melbourne, followed by her loss in the final at Roland Garros against Iga Swiatek. Now she has another chance for a great triumph.
Paolini's triumph at Wimbledon showcases her resilience in the world of sport, specifically tennis. With her win, she joins the prestigious list of Italian tennis players who have secured a Major title at Wimbledon or other Grand Slam events.
Despite her valiant effort and initial dominance, Vekic's journey to the Wimbledon final was unfortunately marred by setbacks, mirroring her experience in other Grand Slam tournaments throughout her career.
