Jasmine Paolini stuns Elena Rybakina to reach French Open semi-finals

The 28-year-old Italian reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros following a 6-2 4-6 6-4 victory.

Jasmine Paolini is in a first Roland Garros semi-final (Aurelien Morissard/AP)

Jasmine Paolini produced the biggest upset of this year’s French Open by knocking out fourth seed Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals.

The 28-year-old Italian, who until this year had never progressed beyond the second round at a grand slam tournament, reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros following a 6-2 4-6 6-4 victory.

She was aided by an off-colour performance from former Wimbledon champion Rybakina, who hit 48 unforced errors including 32 from her usually trusty forehand.

The dream run continues 💫🇮🇹#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/vPJ8YXpwaj

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2024

Paolini, from Tuscany, has enjoyed an amazing 2024 so far having reached the Australian Open fourth round and climbed to a career high 12 in the world last month.

She said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling, it was a really tough match.

“I got a bit too emotional in the second set. But I said to myself ‘she’s a great champion, it can happen’, and I just tried to fight and hit every ball, and I’m here!

It was my first time playing on this beautiful court, it was a pleasure and a privilege to get my first win here

“I tried just to stay there in every point and forget what happened in the second set, it happens, it’s tennis – it’s normal. Accept that and fight again.

“It was my first time playing on this beautiful court, it was a pleasure and a privilege to get my first win here.”

With Jannik Sinner already through, it is the first time an Italian man and woman have reached the semi-finals at the same grand slam.