Paolini delights home crowd by reaching ‘dream’ Italian Open title showdown, Paul advances

Jasmine Paolini reached the Italian Open final on Thursday after ending Peyton Stearns’ impressive run in the Rome tournament 7-5, 6-1.

Home hope and sixth seed Paolini became the third Italian woman to reach the Foro Italico final, and the first since her doubles partner Sara Errani was thumped by Serena Williams in 2014.

“It’s a dream of mine to get to the final here. It was a difficult start, thank goodness you were all here to give me a boost,” Paolini said on court.

“I didn’t have a great feeling at the beginning of the match but I’m really happy about how I managed to turn it around.”

Paolini was favourite to get past unseeded Stearns but early on her American opponent showed why she got to her first 1000 series semi-final by knocking out a succession of big names including Naomi Osaka and fifth seed Madison Keys.

Paolini looked way off the pace when she lost the first three games of the match in surprisingly timid fashion, serving weakly and mishitting a host of simple shots.

But she slowly began to force herself back into the contest, putting pressure on Stearns to find shots with her serving and finding both more power and accuracy on her forehand.

Stearns’ frustration was clear to see after being broken to allow Paolini to serve for the set, lashing her racket into her bag before giving herself a telling off in her seat.

And a break of serve in the third game of the second set deflated Stearns, whose fate was sealed two games later when Paolini took the third of three break points, roaring her joy to her delighted supporters in the centre court stands before comfortably seeing out the match.

Paolini could yet win both the singles and women’s doubles tournaments, with her and Errani taking on Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider in the semi-finals on Friday.

Tommy Paul defeated Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to move into the last four in Rome.

American Paul come through a humdrum quarter-final to reach the Foro Italico semis.

“I just feel comfortable out here and yeah I’ve been playing some good tennis this week,” said Paul.

Kyrgios set for French Open return: Nick Kyrgios is returning to the French Open for the first time since 2017 when he will team up with fellow Australian Jordan Thompson to play in the doubles tournament.

The 30-year-old has had a torrid time with foot, knee and wrist injuries following his surprise run to the 2022 Wimbledon final and has played only four singles matches this year, winning once at the Miami Open in March.

Kyrgios was not expected to compete on Parisian clay having last played at Roland Garros in a second-round loss eight years ago but said he had changed his mind with Thompson’s regular doubles partner Max Purcell serving a doping ban.

“The French Open was never really on the cards,” Kyrgios told The Canberra Times. “But after the stuff with Max Purcell, Jordan was looking for a partner and he asked me if I wanted to play.

“We’ve played at the French Open before, so it’ll be good to get out there and play with another fellow Aussie and have a bit of fun.”

Kyrgios is a major draw on and off the court at Grand Slams with his natural talent and unapologetic personality, which has also landed him in controversies in the past.

While a Grand Slam singles title has eluded him, Kyrgios did capture the 2022 doubles crown at the Australian Open partnering countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Despite question marks about his long-term future in the game, Kyrgios is expected to resume his singles career during the grasscourt swing next month ahead of Wimbledon.

The French Open begins on May 25.

Agencies