The women’s finalists will see two debutants play in their first Wimbledon decider having come through tiring but entertaining three-setters.
The tournament hasn’t ended from an Aussie front, as Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell edge one step closer to a Grand Slam title.
Women’s Results:
Jasmine Paolini [7] d. Donna Vekić
2-6, 6-4, 7-6(8)
Barbora Krejčíková d. Elena Rybakina [4]
3-6, 6-3, 6-4
At 28, Jasmine Paolini’s sudden rise to the top is one of the best stories in tennis this year.
The energetic Italian showed her poise and character from a one-set deficit to defeat unseeded Donna Vekić in a powerful baseline tussle.
An eight-minute opening game to commence were early signs of a long evening ahead. But despite both sharing the same age, Vekić’s experience in the big moments prevailed to run away with the opening set.
Patience was a virtue for Paolini to hang in the fight - finally attaining a grip hold on Vekić’s effective service games to force a tense decider.
In a topsy-turvy third set, Vekić saved two match points in two separate service games, while Paolini also held her nerve to deny the Croatian with a break point saved at 5-5, before a tiebreak eventuated.
From 7-8 down, Paolini discovered an extra ounce of intensity to claim the next three points and reach back-to-back Grand Slam finals in two hours and 51 minutes - eclipsing the previous record set in 2009 for the longest women's semi-final in Wimbledon history.
“I was watching finals when I was a kid on this Wimbledon," Paolini said. "You know there is no place better than here to fight for every ball and every point. I will remember this forever."
Meanwhile, in the other semi-final, 31st seed Barbora Krejčíková also fought back from a set down to upset 2022 champion Elena Rybakina.
In a game of contrasting styles, Krejčíková has been placed in this pressure environment before winning the French Open three years ago - helping the Czech settle into the tie after a shaky first few games.
From then on, the second and third sets were controlled on the former world No.2 strings to clinch an emphatic victory.
"Unbelievable. It is very tough to explain, but a lot of joy and a lot of emotions," she said.
"When I broke her (Rybakina) in the second set, I started to be in the zone and I didn't want to leave the zone."
The women’s final between Paolini and Krejčíková is scheduled for tomorrow night AEDT.
Thompson/Purcell Wave the Aussie Flag
15th seeds Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell ensured the Aussies still have something to cheer about at the Championships, achieving a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 semi-final win against top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the men’s doubles on Court 1.
The Australian pair have performed in sync all tournament, complimenting each other’s strengths with strong volley and baseline tennis.
It marks the fourth match of this event that the duo have held serve for the entire duration.
They will now play unseeded pair Harri Heliövaara (Finland) and Henry Patten (Great Britain) in the final.
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