Key events
Meanwhile Daniel is delighted, because Henry Patten has only gone and reached his first Wimbledon men’s doubles final! Patten, along with his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara, have defeated his fellow Briton and last year’s champion Neal Skupski, who was playing with New Zealand’s Michael Venus, 6-4 7-6. They’ll face Australia’s Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson in Saturday’s final.
Current WTA race:
1. Iga Swiatek
2. Elena Rybakina
3. Jasmine PaoliniWhat a breakout season.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) July 11, 2024
Paolini is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach both the Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals in the same year. And she’s not been beyond the second round of a slam before this year. Women’s tennis eh? Wonderfully unpredictable.
“I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a match as tight as that for such a long period of time,” says a near-speechless Billie Jean King. “I feel so sorry for Vekic but we’ve never had an Italian woman in the finals here and it’s wonderful for Italy.” Martina’s thoughts? “It was brutal.”
Paolini – her smile as big as the Centre Court – speaks:
It was really tough today, she played unbelievable. She was hitting winners everywhere, I was struggling at the beginning, but I told myself to fight for every ball. I’m so happy with this win. This match I will remember for ever.
I was trying to think about what to do point by point, because it was really difficult. There is no place better than here to fight for every ball. I really enjoy to play in front of you guys, thank you for cheering for me. Grazie.
These last few months have been crazy for me [reaching the French Open final too]. I’m just trying to focus on what I have to do on court. I love playing tennis, it’s a dream. I was watching Wimbledon finals when I was a kid. I’m enjoying and being in the present, but these last few months have been crazy.
Paolini beats Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6!
8-all – and we will soon have another match point. But which way will it go? To Paolini, as Vekic rues an errant forehand. So it’s a third match point for Paolini … Vekic’s first serve is long … her second is good, but Vekic goes on to miscue another forehand! After the longest women’s semi-final in Wimbledon history, at two hours and 51 minutes, Jasmine Paolini, the 28-year-old who’d never even won a match here before this year, is into the final! A heartbreaking, gut-wrenching loss for Vekic, who’s applauded by Paolini as she leaves the court. That was absorbing and see-sawing; intense and totally draining. A match for the history books.
There may be nothing between them on the scoreboard, but the contrast in body language is still so stark. Paolini edges ahead on serve for 7-6; and Vekic gets to 7-all with some staggeringly gutsy hitting. This is about to become the longest women’s semi-final in Wimbledon history, as Vekic moves to 8-7 …
Then 5-all, and 6-5 Vekic after a fierce serve. If this was a normal breaker Vekic would have match point. But nothing is that simple in this set – and they change ends with nothing between them once more at 6-all …
Paolini looks to the skies (which she can see for once; the roof is off today) after missing the baseline. 4-3 Vekic – then 4-all. Neither of them can pull away; it’s been the story of the final set. A failed challenge from Vekic – Hawk-Eye shows Paolini’s shot just grazed the line – and it’s 5-4 Paolini …
Paolini reduces her arrears to 3-2, and Vekic concedes the mini-break with a wayward forehand. 3-3 as they switch ends …
As it’s the final set, the breaker is first to 10 points. Paolini takes the first point on her serve – and Vekic wins the second point on her own serve. Tracy Austin remarks that Vekic looks like she has absolutely nothing left to give between points – but then as soon as they start, she’s still coming up with so many winners. 2-1 Vekic, then 3-1 for the first mini-break …
Third set: Vekic 6-2, 4-6, 6-6 Paolini
So Vekic – having saved a match point at 5-4 down – is again serving to stay in this semi-final. She regains her composure with a trusty inside-out forehand for 15-all. An ace down the middle and it’s 30-15. Apparently it was actually out – but Paolini didn’t appeal. No bother, because Paolini wins the next point for 30-all. So will it be match point or game point? Match point, after an error from Vekic’s racket. Vekic nets her first serve … the second is in, the pair are going down the middle, then cross-court, then down the line, then Vekic seizes the initiative by running forward! Deuce. Phew. Vekic looks in absolute bits out there but is still able to produce that. Advantage Vekic. Deuce. Advantage Vekic. Game Vekic. We’ve got ourselves a third-set tie-break!
Third set: Vekic* 6-2, 4-6, 5-6 Paolini* (*denotes next server)
Another jarring, discombobulating shift in momentum as Vekic gets to 0-30 on the Paolini serve. My brain can’t compute any more; I’ve got no idea how the players are dealing with this. Vekic looks as if she’s being tortured; Paolini looks as if she’s enjoying the fight a little bit more. But Vekic still somehow finds her way to break point, as she flings everything she’s got – or more precisely 11 years of trying to reach a first slam final – into a ferocious forehand. Paolini lets out the loudest scream of the day when she survives. Deuce. Three advantages for Paolini follow; she doesn’t take any of them. And here’s a second break point for Vekic; she doesn’t prevail either. This is exhausting. And Paolini holds when Hawk-Eye comes to her assistance! Vekic is in tears as she goes back to her chair. This is tennis at its most dramatic and compelling best.
Just saw Martina Hingis waiting for shuttle to Aorangi. A player escort helpfully told her and the youngsters with her that junior shuttle wasn’t running. “Thank you for thinking I’m a junior, but I’m playing the Legends.”#wimbledon
— Colette Lewis (@zootennis) July 11, 2024
Vekic looks unbelievably stressed but that’s a hell of a hold in the circumstances to level at 5-5 in the third with Paolini, saving one match point
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) July 11, 2024
Third set: Vekic 6-2, 4-6, 5-5 Paolini* (*denotes next server)
Paolini, having worked so hard to get back into this third set, must try to remain aggressive and keep Vekic on the move. Vekic is clearly in pain; though I’m not sure how much of it is physical and how much of it is mental at this stage. Paolini wins the first point on Vekic’s serve for 0-15 – and then sprints forward to the drop shot as if her life depends on it, but she can’t get the ball back into play. 15-all. Paolini’s still asking questions at 30-all, and now here’s match point at 30-40! A Vekic first serve … and Paolini’s return lands wide. Deuce. Advantage Vekic, as she shows courage under serious fire. And Vekic is apologising after the next point as her forehand rattles the top of the net and flies over!
Third set: Vekic* 6-2, 4-6, 4-5 Paolini (*denotes next server)
Paolini stems the flow of all the breaks with a hold to love. Now she’s ahead in this third set for the very first time. Vekic has her head in her hands at the changeover; Paolini has ridden the rollercoaster and is now potentially a game away from her first Wimbledon final!
Paolini breaks: Vekic 6-2, 4-6, 4-4 Paolini* (*denotes next server)
Vekic, appearing to be in some discomfort with her arm, drops 15-40 down. A big serve out wide … but it’s called out. So two break points for Paolini and a second serve. And Vekic, having looked so assured for most of this match, wildly hits long! We’re back on serve. Again. Who wins from here? I’ve absolutely no idea. But if you really pushed me I’m going for Paolini.
Donna Vekic, up a break in the 3d of her first major semifinal, grabs an ice towel on the changeover. Quite a change in the weather at #Wimbledon And she’s so close to something special#getty pic.twitter.com/7pNJJMTLas
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) July 11, 2024
Vekic breaks: Vekic* 6-2, 4-6, 4-3 Paolini (*denotes next server)
But then no sooner has Paolini broken, than she’s in danger of being broken herself. The Italian slumps to 15-40 when she is unable to control her volley. Now Paolini is a bundle of nerves; does anyone want to win this match? Maybe Vekic does – because a thunderous forehand secures the break. But let’s see if she can hold this time.
Paolini breaks: Vekic 6-2, 4-6, 3-3 Paolini* (*denotes next server)
More clapping and forza-ing as Paolini pulls slightly ahead at 15-30. Paolini is living dangerously in the next rally with a shot that just lands in – but then Vekic does actually end up going long. 15-40. Vekic has some stern words for her box; she wants them to be quiet so she can focus on saving these two break points. That’s a sign she’s feeling the tension. Paolini taps her head with her racket after not being able to do anything on the first. But she’s screaming in delight when she takes it on the second, as a poor Vekic shot shows how much the Croatian is struggling to contain her nerves right now.
Third set: Vekic* 6-2, 4-6, 3-2 Paolini (*denotes next server)
Another sniff of a double break for Vekic as she dispatches the smash for 30-all on Paolini’s serve. Paolini takes her time – before sending her first serve into the net. The second serve she lands, and then she absolutely wallops a forehand cross-court winner! That was one of her punchiest shots of the day. Vekic appears to be struggling with her arm. Or maybe it’s just nerves she’s trying to shake out. 40-30 becomes deuce and then advantage Paolini. “FORZA! FORZA!! FORZA!!!” the Italian tells herself. Paolini is a wall at the net and hits a superb low volley to seal the hold. Her mum smiles and claps.
Third set: Vekic 6-2, 4-6, 3-1 Paolini* (*denotes next server)
Daniel excitedly messages me to say Patten and Heliovaara are a set up in their men’s doubles semi-final on No 1 Court – just as Vekic rips through her serve to love. That’ll have felt good at this stage of the match; there haven’t been too many simple holds of late. Vekic is edging closer to the finish line – can she stay calm and composed?
Third set: Vekic* 6-2, 4-6, 2-1 Paolini (*denotes next server)
Vekic has a double break in her sights at 15-30 – which becomes 30-40 when Paolini’s backhand balloons wide. The Italian hopes Hawk-Eye will rescue her but it doesn’t. So it’s break point. But she then takes matters into her own hands with three successive points, rounding things off with a fizzing forehand cross-court winner! Paolini absolutely pelts back to her chair.
Third set: Vekic 6-2, 4-6, 2-0 Paolini* (*denotes next server)
That break was an unexpected change in momentum after Paolini’s late charge in the second set. And Vekic isn’t willing to surrender the initiative that she’s wrested back in this match. She holds to 15 and is practising her shots and jumping up and down on the baseline as she waits for Paolini to serve in the next game. Paolini’s energy is clearly contagious …
Vekic breaks: Vekic* 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 Paolini (*denotes next server)
Vekic is back. And the level hasn’t dropped one bit. Paolini is charging around like the Duracell bunny at 30-all – Vekic must be wondering how many times she has to try to win the point – but eventually the Croatian does. So here’s an early break point. Vekic can’t take it as she makes the error. Deuce. Advantage Vekic, a second break point. Given the two players are level in the match, this game is a pretty good gauge of who the crowd want to win. And it’s Paolini who’s drawing the bigger cheers. So there’s only polite applause when Vekic does break.
Vekic takes her leave to regather her thoughts. So time for us to gather ours. Vekic played so well in that second set – but it still wasn’t enough against the fight of Paolini, who was rewarded for mixing up the pace and her court positions. I’d make Paolini the slight favourite for this third set – she has the recent experience of coming through in the French Open semi-finals to draw on – but Vekic is playing some superb attacking tennis here and if she can put that overhead to the back of her mind can still be victorious.
If Vekic loses this match that missed smash is probably going to haunt her for many a night.
That overhead miss by Vekic just felt like the sort of miss that can turn a match like this…#Wimbledon
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 11, 2024
Paolini wins the second set 6-4
That remarkable point in the previous game seems to have energised Paolini, who charges to 0-15 on the serve of Vekic – who then double faults for 0-30. But Vekic has been able in this match to come up with big serves when it matters and she does so agains for 15-30. But look! Two sets points at 15-40 for a third set – no less than this match deserves. Paolini has Vekic stumbling after an arrowed backhand down the line, and Paolini finishes her off with a forehand winner. Fancy a third set of this? Of course you do!
Second set: Vekic* 6-2, 4-5 Paolini (*denotes next server)
A lesson in perseverance for us all at 15-all, as Paolini scrambles back to chase down the lob, chops the ball back while not even facing the net, and Vekic – with the entire court to aim into – miscues with the smash! A wry smile from Vekic here. And Paolini comes through to hold to 15, sealing it with only her third ace.
Second set: Vekic 6-2, 4-4 Paolini* (*denotes next server)
A gasp as Vekic nets her drop shot at 30-0. Another as Vekic wallops wide at 30-15. But Vekic takes the next two points to hold. Looking at her face right now, you’d have no idea she was winning. And she’s still moving around at half-pace between points. Paolini, meanwhile, is all energy and fight and endeavour. But potentially Vekic is two games from her first grand slam final.
