Paolini wins longest women’s semi-final match in history beating Vekic in titantic three setter

By Paul Lagan at Wimbledon
Centre Court

Vekic v Paolini
6-4, 4-6, 6-7 (8-10)

Jasmine Paolini is in the singles final on Saturday after a Herculean effort to overcome the powerful Donna Vekic on Centre Court in there sets.
The match was the longest women’s semi-final in history and Vekic will be angry and frustrated that she wasn’t able to take better advantage of the Italian who struggled for most of the two hours and 52 minutes match with holding her serve.
It was too her tenacious credit and on-court fighting spirit that she was able to come from a 2-6 first set loss.
The Croatian raced to the opening et in 32 minutes.
But it was all about to change.
Vekic and Paolini spared like a couple of middleweight boxers – neither giving much away.
But inevitably, one had to gone done for the count and it fell to the No7 seed when she was 5-4 up. It was the first break on Vekic’s serve and proved ultimately to be fatal and the match was level at one set all.
But Vekic responded straight away to break and take a 2-0 lead, but she allowed Paolini to strike back to make it 3-3.
Vekic then broke again only to allow Paolini to break back.
A 12 min jute game at 5-6 to Vekic went Paolini’s way when she successfully challenged a line call.
The ping pong nature of the set continued until the tie breaker.
Neither player deserved to lose, but the final set tie-breaker meant the match was going to end.
After see-sawing fortunes where a mini-break apiece kept the packed crowd happy saw Paolini finally see a ball by Vekic go wide.
She will play the winner of the next match on Centre Curt between 31 see Barbara Krejcikova and Elena Rybakina the No4 seed.

Pictured top: Action from Vekic v Paolini Picture by Paul Lagan