Paolini secures her maiden Wimbledon final berth by defeating emotional Vekic.

Italy’s Jasmine Paolini advanced to her inaugural Wimbledon final with a remarkable comeback, defeating emotional Croatian Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) in the longest women’s semi-final at the All England Club on Thursday.

Paolini, ranked seventh in the world, had never won a main draw match at Wimbledon before this year but displayed tenacity and skill during her two-hour and 51-minute battle with Vekic on Centre Court. This victory marks her second consecutive Grand Slam final appearance, following her runner-up finish at the French Open last month.

The 28-year-old Paolini will now await the winner between 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and Czech 31st seed Barbora Krejcikova for Saturday’s final showdown.

Paolini’s journey to the Wimbledon final represents a breakthrough year, highlighted by her maiden Grand Slam final at Roland Garros and a Round of 16 appearance at the Australian Open earlier this year. She had not progressed beyond the second round in any Slam before 2024.

Reflecting on her emotional victory, Paolini expressed her joy and determination, emphasizing the significance of fighting for every point on the prestigious grass courts of Wimbledon.

Vekic, plagued by 57 unforced errors, saw her spirited performance end on another forehand error in a match filled with momentum swings and tense moments. The Croatian struggled to maintain her leads in the second and third sets, eventually breaking down in tears during a rollercoaster clash that saw Paolini clinch victory in a dramatic tie-break.

In the next semi-final, world number four Rybakina will aim for her second Wimbledon final appearance, setting up an intriguing matchup against Krejcikova, who holds a 2-0 record against the Kazakh player.