Paolini edges Vekic in thriller to reach final

LONDON (Agencies): Jasmine Paolini edged out Donna Vekic in a thrilling semi-final to become the first Italian to reach the Wimbledon women’s singles final.

In one of the best matches of the tournament, the Croat stormed through the first set and then led 4-3 with a break of serve in the deciding set, needing only two holds of serve to reach her first Grand Slam final.

But amid sensational scenes on Centre Court, the hugely popular Paolini managed to instantly get the match back on serve.

She failed to convert a match-point chance in the 10th game and then another two games later in a dramatic semi-final then went to a 10-point tie-break.

Vekic led 8-7 in that, as the lead had constantly changed hands and was two points from victory, but Paolini went ahead and then kept her nerve to seal the win.

Seventh seed Paolini’s 2-6 6-4 7-6 (10-8) victory means she will now face either Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion, or 31st seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic in Saturday’s final.

Those two players meet in the second semi-final on Thursday.

The 28-year-old Italian had lost all three of her matches here before this year, but has now created history – and has a chance of becoming the first Italian player, male or female, to win a Wimbledon singles title.

Paolini had never reached the second week of a Grand Slam until six weeks ago when she made the French Open final and, remarkably, had not won a main draw match at Wimbledon until this summer’s tournament.