Roland Garros 2024 Women’s Day 11

Jasmine Paolini sent a former Grand Slam winner to defeat on Wednesday as the smiling Italian booked her first-ever Grand Slam semi-final at age 28, defeating Elena Rybakina 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 at the French Open.

The 12th seed scored the biggest upset so far on the women’s side as she beat 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina – she had a massive 48 unforced errors – in just over two hours..

The player who will move into the Top 10 for the first time wil lnow headline a surprise packet semi-final on Thursday after teenaged Mirra Andreeva ambushed second seed Aryna sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, wrapping with a lob winner on second match point.

The other semi will feature WTA big beasts Iga Swiatek against Coco Gauff.

Paolini’s victory brings more glory to surging Italian tennis, with Jannik Sinner achieving No. 1 for the first time and playing a Friday set semi-final here against Carlos Alcaraz.

Paolini, whose tennis appears joyful win or lose, achieved a career highlight in February with the Dubai 1000 series title.

“This is an unbelievable feeling,” the delighted winner said. “We had a really tough match.

“I was a bit too emotional in the second set but that’s tennis. It can happen, I told myself just to fight on.

“It worked and here I am.”

The Italian who won 16 of 17 points on serve in the first set, was heading towards a straight set knockout of the Kazakh third seed before leading a set and 4-3, 40-15.

But Rybakina started a comeback, breaking twice to square the match .

The deciding set featured breaks in the first four games,with the Kazakh seed to drop to 4-5 before Paolini swept victory a game later.

“It was definitely not the greatest day,” Rybakina said. “She played really well and started much better. 

“I started a bit slow, and she was aggressive from the first ball. I was just trying to find my game and trying to fight through.”

Paolini will become the fifth Italian woman to reach the Top 10 after Francesca Schiavone, Sara Errani,  Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci.

Andreeva held her own against double Australian Open winner Sabalenka, apparently bothered by a stomach complaint. 

The seed struck five double-faults in a 60-minute opening set which featured six service breaks.

Both Andreeva and Paolini will be playing at this level for the first time; Andreeva could barely believe what she had accomplished in front of a full house on the Chatrier showcourt.

“I completely forgot the score, I tried not to focus on that,” she said. “On the second match point I imagined I was saving a break point.

“I tried to play brave and I managed to win.

“I was nervous before the match, I knew she would have the crowd on her side. 

But I was surprised that they also cheered for me.

“I did not expect that so thank you very much,” she told fans post-match.

Andreeva took revenge for a quarter-final loss to Sabalenka last month in Madrid and has now beaten three Top 10 players this season.