Italy's Jasmine Paolini has set her sights on capping a "crazy" run to Saturday's Wimbledon final against Barbora Krejcikova by winning a maiden Grand Slam title.
Paolini survived the longest women's singles semi-final in Wimbledon history to beat Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) after two hours and 51 minutes of Centre Court drama on Thursday.
The 28-year-old is the first Italian woman to reach the final of the grass-court Grand Slam.
She will face Czech 31st seed Krejcikova, who enjoyed a shock 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over 2022 champion Elena Rybakina in the other semi-final.
It is an astonishing achievement for Paolini, who had not won a Tour-level match on grass until 15 days ago in Eastbourne, and lost in the first round on her previous three visits to Wimbledon.
She had also failed to go beyond the second round of a Grand Slam until this year.
But 2024 has been a breakthrough campaign for Paolini, who reached her maiden Grand Slam final at the French Open before losing to world number one Iga Swiatek.
She's making history as the first Italian woman to reach a #Wimbledon singles final, and on Saturday, she'll compete in her second (and back-to-back) Grand Slam Final.
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) July 11, 2024
What a summer for @JasminePaolini! 👏 pic.twitter.com/FPBIwVXc3b
Even Paolini can't quite believe her remarkable rise.
"You are crazy, I would say, yes," she said. "Yeah, I don't have words. Just, yeah, you are crazy," said Paolini, who started her unexpected rise by making the Australian Open last 16 in January.
"Two Grand Slam finals in a row was crazy to believe, no?"
Paolini, seeded seventh at Wimbledon, could be forgiven for feeling nervous as she chases the first Grand Slam title of her previously underwhelming career.
She conceded anxiety could be an issue on Centre Court this weekend, but she can take heart from the gritty fightback against Vekic, who burst into tears as she let the semi-final slip away after holding a 3-1 lead in the deciding set.
Inspired by Novotna
Paolini is the first woman to reach back-to-back Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals since Serena Williams in 2016.
The final is just the second time Krejcikova and Paolini have met and their showdown will be a world away from their first encounter.
The pair squared off in the first round of qualifying for the Australian Open in 2018, with Krejcikova claiming a straight sets victory.
"It was a very long time ago, it's been a great journey for both of us to reach the Wimbledon final," Krejcikova said.
Krejcikova will be playing in the second Grand Slam final of her career after winning the French Open in 2021.
The 28-year-old had struggled with a back injury and illness this year, winning just three singles matches in the five months before finding her form in remarkable style at Wimbledon.
BARBORA KREJCIKOVA IS A WIMBLEDON FINALIST 🇨![CDATA[]]>🇿
The Czech comes from a set down to beat 2022 champion Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Yo57VVuC4T
Krejcikova shocked 11th seed Danielle Collins in the fourth round, former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the quarter-finals and Rybakina in the last four.
The two-time Wimbledon doubles champion is inspired by 1998 All England Club winner Jana Novotna, who worked as her coach for a period before dying of cancer in 2017.
"She was telling me a lot of stories about her journeys here and how she was trying to win Wimbledon. I was so far when we had this talk and now I'm in the final," said Krejcikova, who can become the sixth Czech woman to win Wimbledon.
"I have had many difficult periods. I never really imagined I could reach a Wimbledon final, that I can be a different player.
"I'm super happy I was able to fight through everything."
AFP