Jasmine Paolini has just matched record set by Serena Williams after reaching Wimbledon final

Follow us on Google Discover

Jasmine Paolini equalled a statistic last achieved by Serena Williams when she reached the Wimbledon semi-finals.

The 28-year-old took on Donna Vekic who produced an impressive run to the last four at the All-England Club for the first time.

Both players were keen to reach their first final at SW19 and the tight and tense match on Centre Court reflected that.

Neither player could separate themselves from each other until the final set 10-point tiebreak, which Paolini claimed to become the first Italian woman to reach the Wimbledon final in the open era.

How did Jasmine Paolini match Serena Williams by reaching the Wimbledon final?

Paolini came from a set down and two breaks of serve in the third set to claim a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(8) win in the British sunshine.

She has now reached her second successive Grand Slam final after making it to the French Open final in June.

Therefore, she is now the first player since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the Roland Garros and Wimbledon final in the same season.

Williams advanced to the final in Paris as the top seed, but was denied her fourth title at the clay court major as Garbine Muguruza claimed a 7-5, 6-4 win.

A month later the American clinched victory in the Wimbledon final, where she defeated Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3. That marked the final time the former World number one triumphed at the grass court Grand Slam.

Jasmine Paolini looks to end magical Wimbledon run with the title

Before the 2024 season, Paolini had not won a match on grass at the WTA Tour.

Since then, she reached the semi-finals of the Eastbourne International and now will compete in Saturday’s Wimbledon final.

The seventh seed is enjoying a magnificent season having won the Dubai Open title, reaching two major titles and breaking into the top 10.

She is two sets away from lifting the Venus Rosewater dish but she faces a tough test in the final against Czech player Barbora Krejčíková, who defeated former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals.