The previous longest Wimbledon semi-final was Serena Williams' 6–7(4), 7–5, 8–6 loss to Elena Dementieva in 2009, a contest that lasted 2 hours and 49 minutes.
Nearly 15 years later, Paolini held her first match point at 5–4 in the third set and her second at 6–5 before defeating Vekic in a thrilling super-tiebreak in the third set. The result was his third win in four meetings with Vekic.
Paolini, runner-up to Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros a month ago, has immediately returned to that run with her second major final. The 28-year-old is the first player since Serena in 2016 to reach the French Open and Wimbledon finals in the same season.
Paolini is only the fifth player to achieve this feat in the last 25 years, after Steffi Graf (1999), Serena Williams (2002, 2015, 2016), Venus Williams (2002) and Justine Henin (2006).
Having never won a tour-level match on grass before 2024, Paolini's record on the surface is now 8-1, with her only loss coming to Daria Kasatkina in the Eastbourne semi-finals two weeks ago. Currently at a career-high ranking of No. 7, she is guaranteed a top 5 debut next week.
Nearly 15 years later, Paolini held her first match point at 5–4 in the third set and her second at 6–5 before defeating Vekic in a thrilling super-tiebreak in the third set. The result was his third win in four meetings with Vekic.
Paolini, runner-up to Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros a month ago, has immediately returned to that run with her second major final. The 28-year-old is the first player since Serena in 2016 to reach the French Open and Wimbledon finals in the same season.
Paolini is only the fifth player to achieve this feat in the last 25 years, after Steffi Graf (1999), Serena Williams (2002, 2015, 2016), Venus Williams (2002) and Justine Henin (2006).
Having never won a tour-level match on grass before 2024, Paolini's record on the surface is now 8-1, with her only loss coming to Daria Kasatkina in the Eastbourne semi-finals two weeks ago. Currently at a career-high ranking of No. 7, she is guaranteed a top 5 debut next week.
