By Marc McGowan
A smiling assassin barely taller than 160 centimetres is ensuring Italy’s remarkable tennis uprising has a strong female presence.
Jasmine Paolini, whose staggering and sudden grand slam success began at this year’s Australian Open, is the first woman since Serena Williams eight years ago to reach the Roland-Garros and Wimbledon finals in the same season.
The late-blooming 28-year-old came from a break down twice in the final set to outlast Croatia’s Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) in the longest women’s semi-final at the All England club at two hours, 51 minutes.
Surging up the rankings: Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.Credit: Getty Images
Another challenge awaits against 2021 Roland-Garros champion Barbora Krejčíková, who ended Elena Rybakina’s hopes of a second Wimbledon title in a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 result that locked in a wholly unexpected final.
Paolini, who said she would remember this victory “forever”, is still coming to terms with being one of the best players in the world.
After finishing last year’s Wimbledon ranked No.44, she will make her top-five debut on Monday. Asked what she would have said if someone told her she would make back-to-back major finals this year, Paolini responded: “You are crazy, I would say.”
“In Italy now, it’s normal to have Jannik No.1 ... he’s doing unbelievable things.”
Jasmine Paolini
Emotions ran high in a pulsating final set, culminating in a dramatic finish to a 10-minute hold from Paolini that pushed her 6-5 ahead.
The Italian challenged a Vekic winner successfully, reversing it to an out call, which triggered one of her infectious grins, whereas the Croatian began sobbing, which she explained afterwards owed more to the pain she was feeling throughout her body.
“I thought I was going to die in the third set,” Vekic said.
Emotions flow: Croatia’s Donna Vekic.Credit: Getty Images
Vekic managed to reset in time to play her part in a captivating match tiebreak, where she mixed a series of outstanding winners with some narrow misses.
Paolini’s greater consistency, aggression and movement ultimately won her the match, after which she blew kisses to her family and team.
The joke in London is that Italy’s strong representative of reporters came for world No.1 Jannik Sinner but stayed for Paolini and first-time major semi-finalist Lorenzo Musetti.
They are spoilt for choice, with nine men and five women inside the respective tours’ top 100.
“I think [there] are many Italians doing great things. I think we are inspiring each other, no?” Paolini said.
“Also, I have to say in Italy there are many, many tournaments, like Challengers, ITFs, juniors [that give us great opportunities]. I think every player shows that something can be possible.
“Jannik is showing that. In Italy now, it’s normal to have Jannik No.1 ... he’s doing unbelievable things.”
Paolini had never advanced past the second round in 16 major appearances before reaching the last 16 at Melbourne Park in January, but is now one win from becoming Italy’s sixth grand slam champion.
Nicola Pietrangeli, Adriano Panatta, Francesca Schiavone – who upset Australia’s Sam Stosur in the 2010 Roland-Garros final – Flavia Pennetta and 2024 Australian Open titlist Sinner are Italy’s only major winners.
Schiavone and 2015 US Open champion Pennetta were leading lights in Italian women’s tennis’ golden age between 2006 and 2013, alongside Roberta Vinci and Paolini’s doubles partner Sara Errani, who remains in the top 100 at age 37.
They won four Fed Cup titles (now Billie Jean King Cup) during that period, and Vinci (2015 US Open) and Errani (2012 French Open) made slam finals, on top of Schiavone’s and Pennetta’s triumphs.
Sheer joy: Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic celebrates after defeating Elena Rybakina.Credit: AP
“They [are] inspiring me so much, but I don’t want to compare too much because I’m writing my own story, my own career,” Paolini said.
“But I remember the grand slam finals they made. I think it’s really important for the next generation having people who can do great things. They can show you that it’s possible.”
Krejčíková raised her arms in triumph after sealing a come-from-behind victory that booked her second grand slam final and first in more than three years.
2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was eliminated.Credit: Getty Images
“It’s unbelievable. It’s very tough to explain what I’m feeling right now, but it’s a lot of joy, a lot of emotions, also a lot of relief, and I’m just super proud about my game and my fighting spirit today,” Krejčíková said.
“I was down – I started 0-4, so I was happy that I won my first game – and I was just trying to fight for every single ball, then I felt during the second met, in the middle, I was getting my momentum. When I broke her, I started being in the zone, and I didn’t want to leave the zone.”
Australia again at the double at All England club
Meanwhile, Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson beat top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos, 6-4, 6-4, on Thursday to become the 12th all-Australian pairing to make a Wimbledon men’s doubles final in the Open Era.
Purcell won the Wimbledon doubles title with countryman Matt Ebden two years ago and has twice been runner-up at the Australian Open, but this is Thompson’s first major final.
“It’s a huge deal. Jordan and I started playing [together] last year and especially this year, we really wanted to win a slam together,” Purcell said.
“It’s always nice to say that, but it feels a long way away compared to every other tour event … and there is a bit more pressure than every other tournament. But, man, we just want it badly, and this is the one to win.”
Australia’s Max Purcell.Credit: Getty Images
Their partnership dates back to a Davis Cup tie against Croatia two years ago, when Thompson and Purcell joined forces to stun former world No.1s Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic.
“I got thrown in late in Davis Cup with ‘Maxy’ one year, and I really enjoyed playing with him,” Thompson said. “We’re both focused on singles, so it feels like we take away the pressure of actually playing doubles ... to be in a grand slam final is probably most special when it’s at Wimbledon.”
Sixteen-year-old Queensland prodigy Emerson Jones also remains in the hunt for her maiden junior girls’ singles title, progressing to the quarter-finals.
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