2024 finalist Paolini stunned as Wimbledon seeds continue to fall; Raducanu sets up big tie
by AFP · The42JASMINE PAOLINI WAS the latest victim of Wimbledon’s spate of giant-killings as last year’s runner-up suffered a shock second-round exit against Russian world number 62 Kamilla Rakhimova on Wednesday.
Just 12 months after her run to the All England Club final, Paolini followed a host of highly-ranked seeds out of the grass-court Grand Slam.
The Italian fourth seed, beaten by Barbora Krejcikova in the 2024 Wimbledon title match, slumped to a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss in two hours and 18 minutes on Court Three.
“It was a tough one. I’m still thinking about the second set. I could do much better. I had many, many chances, I did some stupid mistakes,” Paolini said.
“I need to stay there mentally much better. My attention was going up and down all the time. I don’t know why.”
After reaching the French Open and Wimbledon finals last year, Paolini has failed to make the quarter-finals in each of her last four Grand Slam appearances, although she won the Roland Garros doubles crown with partner Sara Errani in June.
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“It’s tough to accept. I’m a little bit tired now. It was two intense months before coming here,” she said.
“If I want to compete at this level I have to be focused all the time, not like I was today.
“The goal for sure in the next part of the season is to reset and mentally stay there for every point.”
The 29-year-old’s defeat against Rakhimova means four of the top five seeds in the women’s singles have been eliminated just three days into the event.
Second seed Coco Gauff, third seed Jessica Pegula and fifth seed Zheng Qinwen were beaten in the first round.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka is the last of the top five seeds remaining after her win against Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic in the second round on Wednesday.
Sabalenka will face Emma Raducanu in the third round of Wimbledon after the British number one claimed an impressive victory over former champion Marketa Vondrousova.
It will be a daunting task for Raducanu but she can take great encouragement from her performance here, with Vondrousova not just the 2023 winner but also a player in hot form after beating Sabalenka and Madison Keys to win the warm-up title in Berlin.
Raducanu had good memories from a second-round win against the same player here in her breakthrough run four years ago, and this proved just as comfortable, the 22-year-old easing to a 6-3 6-3 win.
“I think today I played really, really well,” said Raducanu. “There were some points I have no idea how I turned around.
“I knew playing Marketa it was going to be an extremely difficult match. She’s won this tournament and it’s a huge, huge achievement. I’m so happy with how I focused and put my game on the court.
“I’m just so happy I get to play another match here. (Sabalenka) is number one in the world, so dominant, has won literally everything. I’m just so happy how I performed. I guess there’s no pressure at all on me.”
Additional reporting from Press Association