French Open final beyond a dream for Italy’s Paolini

Jasmine Paolini said she had never dreamed of reaching a Grand Slam final after setting up a championship decider with reigning champion Iga Swiatek at the French Open on Thursday. Italian 12th seed Paolini ended the run of 17-year-old Russian sensation Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals, winning 6-3, 6-1 to make her first Grand Slam […]

Jasmine Paolini said she had never dreamed of reaching a Grand Slam final after setting up a championship decider with reigning champion Iga Swiatek at the French Open on Thursday.

Italian 12th seed Paolini ended the run of 17-year-old Russian sensation Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals, winning 6-3, 6-1 to make her first Grand Slam final at the age of 28.

“It’s a great feeling to be in a Grand Slam final. I don’t know. It seems something impossible, you know, but it’s true,” said a beaming Paolini.

It is an astonishing transformation for a player who had never gone beyond the second round of a major before the start of this year.