In a stunning turn of events at Wimbledon, Jasmine Paolini and Barbora Krejcikova have secured their spots in the women’s singles final, setting up an unexpected championship match on Saturday, July 13th.Paolini, the 7th-ranked Italian, made history by becoming the first Italian woman to reach the Wimbledon final in the Open Era. She achieved this feat by winning the longest women’s semifinal in Wimbledon history, defeating Croatia’s Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) in a thrilling match that lasted 2 hours and 51 minutes.In the other semifinal, 31st seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic stunned former champion Elena Rybakina with a comeback victory of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Krejcikova, who has been struggling with a back injury and illness earlier this year, has found her form at the perfect time.This Wimbledon run marks a remarkable turnaround for both finalists. Paolini had never won a main draw match at Wimbledon before this year, while Krejcikova’s best previous performance at the All England Club was reaching the fourth round.Paolini’s success is particularly noteworthy as she becomes the first player since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season. Her journey has earned praise from tennis legends, with Billie Jean King commenting, “She’s making history as the first Italian to reach the Wimbledon final and will play in her second consecutive Slam final. What a summer for Jasmine Paolini”.The final, scheduled for Saturday at 2 PM on Centre Court, promises to be an exciting match between two players seeking their first Wimbledon title. Regardless of the outcome, this year’s tournament will crown its eighth different women’s singles champion in eight years, highlighting the depth and competitiveness of women’s tennis.
Key points
- Jasmine Paolini becomes the first Italian woman to reach the Wimbledon final in the Open Era.
- Barbora Krejcikova upset former champion Elena Rybakina to secure her spot in the final.
- This year’s Wimbledon will crown its eighth different women’s singles champion in eight years.
