Jasmine Paolini edged out a tearful Donna Vekic in a thrilling semi-final to become the first Italian to reach a Wimbledon women’s singles final.
In one of the best matches of the tournament, Paolini missed two match points and was 8-7 behind in the 10-point tie-break before recovering to clinch an incredible victory.
The match lasted two hours 51 minutes, making it the longest women’s singles semi-final at Wimbledon, with the Italian winning 2-6 6-4 7-6 (10-8).
Seventh seed Paolini will now face Czech 31st seed Barbora Krejcikova after she claimed a remarkable 3-6 6-3 6-4 comeback victory against Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion.
It means there will be a new name etched into the Venus Rosewater Dish following Saturday’s final.
Paolini, who had never won a match at this tournament before this year but who has gained huge popularity with her enthusiasm, bubbly personality and incredible shot-making skills, said: “I was serving really bad so I am so happy. This match I will remember forever.
“I was just trying to think about what to do on the court, point by point, because I was really in difficulty.”
Vekic, who was also struggling with an injury to her lower right arm, was seen in tears at the changeover before the tie-break as the match was slipping away from her.
“I thought I was going to die in the third set,” said a tearful Vekic in the post-match news conference. “I had so much pain in my arm, in my leg. It was not easy out there, but I will recover.
“I was more crying because I had so much pain, I didn’t know how I could keep playing. My team tells me I can be proud of myself.
“It’s tough right now. It’s really tough to be positive right now. It was so close.”
Paolini delights Wimbledon crowd with ‘dream’ win’
Paolini lost in the French Open final in May and is the first woman to reach back-to-back Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals since Serena Williams in 2016.
“I think these last months have been crazy for me,” added Paolini. “I don’t know, I am just trying to focus on what I have to do on court and enjoying what I am doing.
“I love playing tennis. It is a dream. I was watching finals when I was a kid at Wimbledon. I am just enjoying it and trying to live in the present.”
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.
But she has quickly become a fans’ favourite, with every successful point won against Vekic gaining a huge reception, with the majority of supporters cheering on the Italian.
Paolini seemed to thrive on that support and the energy around Centre Court as Vekic struggled against her opponent and the crowd, which gave a deserved standing ovation to both players.
Heartbreak for beaten Vekic after career-saving run
IMAGE SOURCE: PA MEDIA
Image caption: Donna Vekic is set to move up to 21st in the world rankings, only two places off her best ever position, following her run to the Wimbledon semi-finals
Croat Vekic, also aiming to reach her first Grand Slam final, 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 for victory.
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 as the encounter 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, chasing down every ball and able to unleash wonderfully-accurate forehand shots, went ahead and then kept her nerve to seal the win.
Just a month ago, Vekic, 28, was on the verge of quitting tennis, having struggled with a run of injuries. But the world number 37 had found a golden run of form which could have rescued her career, with her set to move up 16 places in the rankings.
Vekic was aiming to become the second successive unseeded player winning the women’s tournament after Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic became the first female player to ever do so when she lifted the trophy 12 months ago.
Vekic played a full part in a thrilling match that will live long in the memory, but Paolini was the one who was celebrating at the dramatic end.
Krejcikova fights back to stun favourite Rybakina
Rybakina had fast become the favourite for the women’s singles title at Wimbledon following a flurry of high-profile exits earlier in the tournament.
After Paolini and Vekic played out the longest women’s semi-final at Wimbledon, it looked like the 25-year-old would make quick work of Thursday’s second match on Centre Court when she raced to a 4-0 lead before snapping up the first set.
But Krejcikova struck back in the second and, with the crowd behind her, she needed just a single break of serve to take control of the decider.
The 31st seed shot her arms into the air in celebration when fourth seed Rybakina fired long on the first match point.
“I am so proud about my game and my fighting spirit today,” Krejcikova said.
Asked if she ever believed she would reach a Wimbledon singles final, she said “no, never” before paying tribute to 1998 Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna, who coached Krejcikova before she died in 2017 at the age of 49.
“I am fighting for every ball and I am sure that is what she would want me to do,” she added.
It is the first time Krejcikova – a doubles specialist – has reached a Wimbledon singles final, and her first at a Grand Slam since she triumphed at the French Open in 2021.
It marks a remarkable return to form for the 28-year-old, who had a far-from-perfect build-up to Wimbledon – winning just three matches in the five months before the Championships after struggling with a back injury and illness.