Paolini pounds Andreeva for place final

Jasmine Paolini put an Italian woman into the French Open title match for the third time on Thursday as she hammered teenaged Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 6-1 in a lop-sided semi-final.

The 28-year-old followed on from compatriots Francesca Sciavone (2012 winner) and Sara Errani, Paolini’s current doubles partner here with that pair into a Friday semi-final.

Victory will send Paolini into the ranking Top 10 for the first time in her career; she will be waiting to see if countryman Jannik Sinner also reaches the Roland Garros title match on the men’s side as he takes on Carlos Alcaraz..

Paolini hammered home the win on her first match point, a shot into the empty court.

“I’m happy for sure,” she said. “It was a tough match and I was nervous before the start. Mirra is only 17 and playing unbelievably.

“I lost to her a month ago in Madrid, so I wanted to do better today. Ball after ball I got more relaxed.

“I’m happy I managed to win in the end.

Paolini will line up on Saturday against top seed Iga Swiatek, who embarrassed US third seed Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4.     

The Italian winner said she did not bother to look at tapes of her Spanish loss to Andreeva “but I had it all in my mind.

“I was up 5-2 in the first set and I lost. When I stepped onto court here I told myself I must do better – it worked

“This is a dream for me, they are the most important things in sport and in life.

“I’m happyI could dream this moment.”

Paolini broke her opponent in the last game of the match to earn her best-ever place in a major.

The Italian has lost twice to Swiatek and has yet to take a set off the world No. 1. She had never passed the second round at Roland Garros prior to this Paris edition.

Main photo:- Jasmin Paolini celebrates as she wins semi final by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd