Jasmine Paolini produced the biggest upset of this year’s French Open by knocking out fourth seed Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals.
The 28-year-old Italian, who until this year had never progressed beyond the second round at a grand slam tournament, reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros following a 6-2 4-6 6-4 victory.
She was aided by an off-colour performance from former Wimbledon champion Rybakina, who hit 48 unforced errors including 32 from her usually trusty forehand.
Paolini, from Tuscany, has enjoyed an amazing 2024 so far having reached the Australian Open fourth round and climbed to a career high 12 in the world last month.
She said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling, it was a really tough match.
“I got a bit too emotional in the second set. But I said to myself ‘she’s a great champion, it can happen’, and I just tried to fight and hit every ball, and I’m here!
It was my first time playing on this beautiful court, it was a pleasure and a privilege to get my first win here— Jasmine Paolini
“I tried just to stay there in every point and forget what happened in the second set, it happens, it’s tennis – it’s normal. Accept that and fight again.
“It was my first time playing on this beautiful court, it was a pleasure and a privilege to get my first win here.”
With Jannik Sinner already through, it is the first time an Italian man and woman have reached the semi-finals at the same grand slam.
