Jasmine Paolini is in the Wimbledon final. © APA/afp / BEN STANSALL

This time not because of Sinner: Italy in tennis fever

She will not have made it past the second round of a major until 2024, and now, at the age of 28, Jasmine Paolini is in a Grand Slam final for the second time in just a few weeks.

July 12, 2024

From: dpa/dl

The 1,63 m tall Italian is now even the favorite for the final on Saturday (15.00 p.m.) against the Czech Barbora Krejcikova. In any case, Paolini will be the new number 5 in the world on Monday. One thing is certain: for the eighth time in eight years, a different name will be engraved on the trophy.

Paolini had already made history before the showdown: in the past 25 years, only Steffi Graf, Justine Henin, Serena and Venus Williams have managed to reach the Wimbledon final in the same year after the French Open. Paolini, who has an entertaining offensive game and good spirit, had already become a crowd favorite in Paris, where she was defeated in the final by the Polish Iga Swiatek.

Paolini's Fairy Tales

Her late breakthrough also comes as a surprise to her. When asked what she would have said if someone had predicted she would reach two major finals a year ago, she laughingly replied: "I would have said you were crazy two months ago. Two Grand Slam finals in a row is hard to believe."

Paolini had indicated that she was ready for a high when she reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open last January. Shortly afterwards, she won her first major title in Dubai. She is now the first Italian Wimbledon finalist and the first representative of her country to make it to a final on hard court, clay and grass in one year.

Will Lorenzo Musetti also make it to the final? © APA/afp / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC

In addition to Paolini, Lorenzo Musetti is also causing a stir at Wimbledon. The young Italian is in the semifinals in London and will face Novak Djokovic there late Friday afternoon. Click here for the preview. The fact is: Despite Jannik Sinner's quarter-final elimination, Italian tennis still has great reason to celebrate these days.