Paolini shocks Rybakina to move into semi-final at French Open

Paul Myers

5 June 2024 at 11:31 am·1-min read

Twelfth seed Jasmine Paolini advanced to her first semi-final at a Grand Slam tournament on Wednesday with a gutsy 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory over the fourth seed Elena Rybakina.

The 28-year-old Italian showed laudable resilience to retain her wits after letting the match slip away from her in the second set.

The 12th seed was leading 6-2, 4-3 and had two points for a 5-3 advantage but Rybakina punched her way out of the adversity to win the game and the next two to level the match.

The Kazakh – the winner of the 2022 Wimbledon crown among her eight trophies – started the decider nervously. She lost her opening serve but Paolini was equally munificent.

They traded breaks again until Rybakina stopped the Sunday afternoon country club knockabout comedy with a hold for 3-2.

Paolini, playing on Court Philippe Chatrier for the first time, echoed but broke through in the ninth game on the back of a couple of Rybakina's errors.

She edged her way to match point and claimed her place in the last four after two hours and three minutes when Rybakina's forehand drive flew long.

"I got too emotional in second set," Paolini told Marion Bartoli in her on-court interview. "But I said to myself that it was OK and I should fight to hit every ball ... and I am here and I won."

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