Jasmine Paolini Wins Record-Setting Wimbledon Semifinal, Faces Barbora Krejcikova Next

Jasmine Paolini emerged victorious in the longest Wimbledon women's semifinal on record, defeating Donna Vekic after a grueling 2 hours and 51 minutes on Centre Court. Despite losing the first set and facing imminent defeat in each of the last two sets, Paolini triumphed with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8).

Paolini's perseverance was evident throughout the match, often reminding herself to “Try, point by point” and “Fight for every ball.” This victory propels her into her second consecutive Grand Slam final, having never won a match at the All England Club until last week.

The No. 7-seeded Paolini will now face No. 31 Barbora Krejcikova for the title. Reflecting on her semifinal win, Paolini stated, “This match, I will remember forever.”

Krejcikova, the 2021 French Open champion, defeated 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the second semifinal with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. This match, although 44 minutes shorter than Paolini's, was equally dramatic as Krejcikova recovered from a 4-0 deficit in the first set to secure her victory.

Both semifinal matches showcased intense competition, with Krejcikova saying, “During the second set, somewhere in the middle, I was getting my momentum... I started to be in a zone — and I didn't want to leave the zone.”

Paolini's win was marked by her resilience. Vekic, despite having more points (118-111), more winners (42-26), and more service breaks (4-3), could not secure the win. Paolini capitalized on her third match point when Vekic hit a forehand wide, advancing to the final after overcoming significant challenges on the grass courts at Wimbledon.

Paolini, 28, is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the finals of both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same season. Her journey to the final has been surprising, given her previous record of not advancing past the second round in any major tournament until reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open in January. Additionally, she had not won a single tour-level match on grass before this Wimbledon fortnight.

Krejcikova, also 28, brings her Grand Slam experience to the final, having previously been ranked No. 2 in singles and No. 1 in doubles, with seven major titles in doubles. Reflecting on her performance and the influence of her mentor, the late Jana Novotna, Krejcikova said, “I have so many beautiful memories... I'm just fighting for every single ball, because I think that's what she would want me to do.”

In the semifinal, Paolini demonstrated her tenacity, particularly at 4-all in the second set when she managed to return a lob with her back to the net, leading to a missed overhead by Vekic. Paolini then broke for the set, shouting “Forza!” (“Let's go!”) in celebration.

Vekic, playing her fifth three-setter in six matches, started strong in the final set, leading 3-1 and later 4-3. However, Paolini steadied herself, ultimately securing her place in the final and expressing relief by saying, “Now I'm going to the ice bath, because my legs are a little bit tired.”

The upcoming final will determine the eighth different women's champion at Wimbledon in the past eight tournaments, adding to the excitement of this year's event.