Jasmine Paolini's remarkable journey at the 2024 French Open continued as she secured her spot in the final, etching her name in Italian tennis history. Displaying a dominant performance, she defeated fellow semifinalist Mirra Andreeva in straight sets on Thursday at Court Philippe-Chatrier in Stade Roland-Garros.
As the No. 12 seed, Paolini clinched a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory over the 17-year-old Andreeva, marking her first-ever appearance in a Grand Slam final. Her opponent in the summit clash will be none other than the reigning champion and World No.1, Iga Swiatek from Poland.
This milestone achievement propels Paolini to new heights, regardless of the final outcome, as she is set to rise to No. 7 in the rankings. Her journey mirrors the historic feats of Italian tennis, reminiscent of her doubles partner Sara Errani's run in 2012, making her the first Italian woman to reach the singles final in Paris since then.
Joining the elite ranks of Francesca Schiavone and Sara Errani, Paolini becomes only the third Italian woman in the Open Era to advance to the title match at Roland Garros. Her ascent to the final also marks a significant moment for Italian tennis on the global stage, with the last Italian woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final being Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci in the 2015 US Open.
Paolini's path to the final has been paved with resilience and determination, with her breakthrough performance at the French Open surpassing her previous records. Breaking Andreeva's serve early in the opening set, she displayed her prowess and tenacity, weathering challenges to secure a 6-3 set win.
Maintaining her momentum, Paolini continued her dominance in the second set, breaking Andreeva's serve multiple times to clinch the match convincingly. Her strategic play and unwavering focus propelled her to this historic victory, setting the stage for an electrifying final showdown against Swiatek.
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