Paolini hammers Swiatek to reach Wuhan semi-finals for first time – Tennis Now

By Richard Pagliaro Friday, October 10, 2025
Image source: Wuhan Open/CVG

Every game is a story Jasmine Paolini past encounters Iga Swiatek It used to be a horror movie.

Today, the proactive Paolini faces his fears and overcomes the pain in spirited fashion.

Paolini was winless in six previous matches against the former world No. 1, but she beat Swiatek 6-1, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open with one of her most impressive performances of the season.

In the rematch of the 2024 French Open final, Swiatek allowed just three games and Paolini crushed Swiatek with sharp groundstrokes in just 65 minutes.

“I finally won a game,” Paolini said with a big smile. “I’m really happy with my level. It feels great.”

Paolini, 29, will face defending French Open champion Coco Gauff for a spot in Sunday’s final.

Third-seeded Gauff defeated German player Laura Sigmund 6-3, 6-0 in her seventh consecutive match. Gauff saved five of eight break points in the 85-minute match.

“I thought I had opportunities in the first set to get a bigger lead, so I thought I took advantage of those opportunities more in the second set,” Gauff said.

Paolini, ranked fifth in the world, had won only one of 13 sets against Swiatek.

When Swiatek hit a forehand into the net, Paolini broke serve and won the first set in a near-flawless 26 minutes.

Paolini dominated the match with her forehand, suffocating Swiatek on serve and converting all six of her break opportunities.

A sullen Swiatek had no answers for the ruthless Roman champion.

This is Paolini’s 26th WTA 1,000 match win of the season, tying her with No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for second on the tour, behind Swiatek’s 28 1,000 match wins.