Their meeting will be a repeat of last year’s French Open final – won by Poland’s Swiatek in dominant fashion.

Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, swept past Kazakhstan’s Rybakina 7-5 6-3 on Sunday to reach her first Cincinnati showpiece.

Rybakina – who beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals – started brightly but failed to exploit an early break in the first set before Swiatek took control.

“That was a tough match,” said Swiatek. “At the beginning it was pretty crazy, we played so fast that sometimes we couldn’t even run to the second ball.

“I was there to play with intensity and good quality and I am super happy with the performance.

“It will be super tough in the final. I will have to prepare tactically but I will focus on myself and try to continue the work I have been doing.”

Italy’s Paolini battled past Russian Veronika Kudermetova in her semi-final 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3.

Paolini served for the match in the second set only to see her advantage slip away, but the story of the encounter was Kudermetova’s tally of 75 unforced errors.

The final takes place on Monday night.

Italian fourth seed Paolini’s 4-6 6-4 6-4 second-round defeat by Kamilla Rakhimova came after eight top-10 seeds across the men’s and women’s singles draws went out across the opening two days – the most at a Grand Slam in the Open era.

But Sabalenka avoided that same fate with a gritty 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 win over Czech world number 48 Marie Bouzkova.

It means the only top-five seed remaining in the women’s draw at the All England Club after day three of the Championships is top seed Sabalenka.

The Belarusian is aiming to add a maiden Wimbledon title to her three Grand Slam triumphs at the US and Australian Opens.

After her win, the top seed told the Centre Court crowd: “I hope it is no upsets any more in this tournament, if you know what I mean!”

Sabalenka, 27, has reached the final of both majors this year, but lost to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Coco Gauff at the French Open.

“Honestly, it is sad to see so many upsets in the tournament in both draws,” she added.

“I’m just trying to take it one step at a time. I know if I’m focused, if I’m there, if I’m fighting, I know I’m going to have my chance in each match.

“I think it’s really important to focus on yourself and to take it one step at a time – do not really look at the draw.

“This is something that can create a lot of nerves and a lot of doubts.”

Sabalenka will face Emma Raducanu in round three after the British number one overcame 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova later on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, American Keys breezed into the third round with a comfortable 6-4 6-2 win over Serbia’s Olga Danilovic, while four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka beat Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2.

After a scorching couple of days at SW19, handheld fans were replaced by umbrellas on a drizzly morning which delayed play on the outside courts by almost two hours but the sun came out in time for Sabalenka’s match.

The three-time major winner made tough work of the opening set, struggling to find consistency and, while not playing badly, she was not clinical in crucial moments.

Having watched three of the top five seeds fall on day two, including French Open champion Gauff, Sabalenka would have welcomed a draw that was beginning to open up.

But eye rolling and shouting in frustration at times, she could not conjure a break point in the first set and instead went down a break when she double-faulted at 5-5 to hand Bouzkova the lead.

That was met with a big cheer from a Wimbledon crowd desperate to back the Czech underdog, but they were equally as animated when Sabalenka let out a huge roar as she dug deep to force the tie-break.

A more straightforward second set followed as she secured the break in the fifth game, ramping up the aggression and executing each of her signature powerful groundstrokes with a loud grunt.

Paolini one of 16 seeds out of women’s draw

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Paolini reached the Wimbledon and French Open finals last year

Paolini’s energetic style and personality lit up SW19 last year as she reached a second career Grand Slam final but missed out to Barbora Krejcikova.

This year she is one of 16 seeds to exit the women’s draw in the opening two rounds so far.

The 29-year-old slumped to defeat on a shady Court Three, despite taking the first set with ease.

A lengthy game in set two where Russian world number 62 Rakhimova saved break points seemed to be the turning point for Paolini’s downfall.

She was broken at 3-3 then could not prevent Rakhimova serving out for the set.

Unable to muster a fightback after immediately being broken in the decider, she cut a disgruntled figure as she saved three match points but went out at the fourth.

While no upsets on day three were as significant as Paolini’s, more seeds tumbled out with 12th seed Diana Shnaider, Brazilian 21st seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, Croatian 22nd seed Donna Vekic and Canadian 29th seed Leylah Fernandez all heading out of the door.

Errani and Paolini beat Kazakh Anna Danilina and Serb Aleksandra Krunic 6-4 2-6 6-1 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The Italian duo won Olympic gold on the same court in Paris last summer and have now added a first Grand Slam title together to their growing collection.

Paolini, 29, reached the women’s singles and doubles finals at last year’s French Open but lost in the fourth round of this year’s singles.

“I want to thank Sara,” Paolini said.

“It has been her last tournament in singles here and I want to say thank you very much. You are an inspiration for me.

“You are a great champion and a great person. You have made me a better player and it’s great to share these special moments with you. You are a legend.”

Errani, 38, previously said this would be her last time playing singles at Roland Garros and she ultimately lost in the second round of qualifying.

She had already completed the doubles Golden Slam – winning each of the four majors – but now boasts six Grand Slam titles to her name, including two at the French Open.

Errani also won the mixed doubles title alongside compatriot Andrea Vavassori on Thursday.

“This is the best court in the world, I have the best memories here and it’s so special for me,” Errani said.

“Sometimes you are not enjoying it 100% because you can’t stop and feel it, but right now I’m feeling it.

“I’m trying to realise what we are doing and it’s so big. Winning a Grand Slam is such a big thing.”

Second seeds Errani and Paolini had not dropped a set en route to the final but were taken the distance by Danilina and Krunic.

Errani and Paolini broke for a 4-2 lead in the first set but Danilina and Krunic hit straight back, restoring parity with a break of their own at the fifth attempt.

The Italians wrapped up a 55-minute set with a break of serve in the 10th game, signalling another routine victory could be on the cards.

But Danilina and Krunic came out fighting, earning two breaks to get on the board and force a decider.

That momentum was quickly wrestled away, though, when Krunic and Danilina were each broken on their first service games and their Italian rivals raced to the finish line.

Top seed Sabalenka won 6-3 7-5 in a victory that also confirmed Elena Rybakina’s elimination from the season-ending tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Earlier on Monday, Kazakhstan’s Rybakina was beaten 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-1 by Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen for her second defeat at the Finals, and required a Paolini victory to keep her hopes alive.

But a gritty win over the Italian – which saw her save two set points – put Sabalenka one step closer to sealing a maiden WTA Finals title, as well as the year-end world number one ranking.

Should she defeat Rybakina in her final Purple Group match on Wednesday, the Belarusian will remain top of the standings into 2025, out of the reach of Iga Swiatek.

“I’m proud of myself. Not only myself, my team,” said Sabalenka, 26.

“We were able to overcome a lot of things. To be able to show such great tennis and become world number one. It’s teamwork, it’s not only me.

“Nobody sees the behind-the-scenes work. But they do a lot for me. I really appreciate them for everything they do for me. This is motivation for me to keep winning on this court.”

An early double break of serve saw Sabalenka – a two-time Grand Slam champion in 2024 – hit the ground running against Paolini, and while the 28-year-old fourth seed cancelled out one of those breaks, she could do little to challenge her big-hitting opponent.

The second set, however, told a different tale. Though Sabalenka reeled off four consecutive games after an early break for Paolini, she grew frustrated as the Italian – enjoying a breakthrough season on the WTA Tour – mounted a comeback to go 5-4 ahead.

But after saving two set points, a switch flicked for Sabalenka, immediately breaking Paolini’s serve once more before wrapping up the match at the first time of asking.

“The second set was quite tricky, I was just trying to stay aggressive, to show her that I am going to fight for this set no matter what,” Sabalenka added.

“I’m really happy to close this match in straight sets.”

The WTA Finals are being held in Saudi Arabia for the first time – a move which has been criticised by some because of the country’s human rights record.

This year’s tournament has record prize money, with the singles champion set to collect about £4m.

In the Orange Group, Jessica Pegula will face Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday before defending champion Swiatek plays Coco Gauff.

Third time lucky for Zheng v Rybakina

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Elena Rybakina has won three WTA titles in 2024

Prior to defeat by Paolini on Saturday, the opening day of the WTA Finals, 25-year-old Rybakina had not played for two months due to a combination of illness and injury.

The former Wimbledon champion had looked fatigued during that match but started stronger against Zheng, though it was the Chinese player who sealed the first break of serve on her way to taking a 4-1 lead.

From there, Zheng’s unforced error count started to creep upwards and while Rybakina was able to fight back into the set by winning three successive games, a long return from the Kazakh in the tie-break wrapped up the opening set for Zheng.

Little could separate the pair at the start of the second set but finding herself 3-2 and a break down, Rybakina found a much-needed higher gear.

After getting the immediate break back, she saved two further break points from 15-40 down, reeling off three aces in the game before landing a backhand on the Zheng baseline.

That was the second of four successive game wins to seal the second set, but Rybakina became unstuck again in the decider.

As her opponent grew weary, Zheng capitalised with a break for 3-1 from which she never looked back, wrapping up her maiden Finals win on her first match point. Victory also marked her first over Rybakina in three attempts.

“I’m really happy to win this match,” said Zheng, 22. “I’ve never beaten her before and she’s one of the greatest players right now.”

Zheng will face Paolini in the last round of group-stage matches on Wednesday, with the winner set to join Sabalenka in the semi-finals.

Krejcikova, a French Open winner in 2021, held her arms aloft as she sealed a 6-2 2-6 6-4 victory on her third championship point.

She shared a warm embrace with Paolini at the net before looking up and blowing a kiss towards the sky.

With the victory, Krejcikova, 28, has emulated her late friend and coach Jana Novotna.

The 1998 Wimbledon champion died from ovarian cancer in 2017 at the age of 49.

“Jana was the one who told me I had the potential and I should definitely turn pro and try to make it. Before she passed away she told me to go and win a Slam,” Krejcikova said of her fellow Czech.

“I achieved that in Paris in 2021 and it was an unbelievable moment for me, and I never really dreamed that I would win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998.”

The 31st seed also followed in the footsteps of 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova to make it back-to-back triumphs for the Czech Republic in the women’s singles.

In keeping with Wimbledon tradition, Krejcikova clambered up to the players’ box to celebrate with her team and family, many of whom were in tears.

“I don’t have any words right now – it’s just unbelievable, it’s definitely the best day of my tennis career and also the best day of my life,” she added.

As the magnitude of her achievement sank in, Krejcikova, trophy in hand, burst into tears as she left Centre Court.

The result is a second straight Grand Slam final defeat for Paolini, who fell to Iga Swiatek in straight sets in last month’s French Open showpiece.

The 28-year-old was bidding to become Italy’s first women’s singles champion at Wimbledon.

In one of the best matches of the tournament, Paolini missed two match points and was 8-7 behind in the 10-point tie-break before recovering to clinch an incredible victory.

The match lasted two hours 51 minutes, making it the longest women’s singles semi-final at Wimbledon, with the Italian winning 2-6 6-4 7-6 (10-8).

Seventh seed Paolini will now face Czech 31st seed Barbora Krejcikova after she claimed a remarkable 3-6 6-3 6-4 comeback victory against Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion.

It means there will be a new name etched into the Venus Rosewater Dish following Saturday’s final.

Paolini, who had never won a match at this tournament before this year but who has gained huge popularity with her enthusiasm, bubbly personality and incredible shot-making skills, said: “I was serving really bad so I am so happy. This match I will remember forever.

“I was just trying to think about what to do on the court, point by point, because I was really in difficulty.”

Vekic, who was also struggling with an injury to her lower right arm, was seen in tears at the changeover before the tie-break as the match was slipping away from her.

“I thought I was going to die in the third set,” said a tearful Vekic in the post-match news conference. “I had so much pain in my arm, in my leg. It was not easy out there, but I will recover.

“I was more crying because I had so much pain, I didn’t know how I could keep playing. My team tells me I can be proud of myself.

“It’s tough right now. It’s really tough to be positive right now. It was so close.”​​​​​​​

Paolini delights Wimbledon crowd with ‘dream’ win’

Paolini lost in the French Open final in May and is the first woman to reach back-to-back Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals since Serena Williams in 2016.

“I think these last months have been crazy for me,” added Paolini. “I don’t know, I am just trying to focus on what I have to do on court and enjoying what I am doing.

“I love playing tennis. It is a dream. I was watching finals when I was a kid at Wimbledon. I am just enjoying it and trying to live in the present.”

The 28-year-old Italian had lost all three of her matches here before this year, but has now created history – and has a chance of becoming the first Italian player, male or female, to win a Wimbledon singles title.

Paolini had never reached the second week of a Grand Slam until six weeks ago when she made the French Open final.

But she has quickly become a fans’ favourite, with every successful point won against Vekic gaining a huge reception, with the majority of supporters cheering on the Italian.

Paolini seemed to thrive on that support and the energy around Centre Court as Vekic struggled against her opponent and the crowd, which gave a deserved standing ovation to both players.

Heartbreak for beaten Vekic after career-saving run

IMAGE SOURCE: PA MEDIA

Image caption: Donna Vekic is set to move up to 21st in the world rankings, only two places off her best ever position, following her run to the Wimbledon semi-finals

Croat Vekic, also aiming to reach her first Grand Slam final, stormed through the first set and then led 4-3 with a break of serve in the deciding set, needing only two holds of serve for victory.

But amid sensational scenes on Centre Court, the hugely popular Paolini managed to instantly get the match back on serve.

She failed to convert a match-point chance in the 10th game and then another two games later as the encounter went to a 10-point tie-break.

Vekic led 8-7 in that, as the lead had constantly changed hands and was two points from victory, but Paolini, chasing down every ball and able to unleash wonderfully-accurate forehand shots, went ahead and then kept her nerve to seal the win.

Just a month ago, Vekic, 28, was on the verge of quitting tennis, having struggled with a run of injuries. But the world number 37 had found a golden run of form which could have rescued her career, with her set to move up 16 places in the rankings.

Vekic was aiming to become the second successive unseeded player winning the women’s tournament after Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic became the first female player to ever do so when she lifted the trophy 12 months ago.

Vekic played a full part in a thrilling match that will live long in the memory, but Paolini was the one who was celebrating at the dramatic end.

Krejcikova fights back to stun favourite Rybakina

Rybakina had fast become the favourite for the women’s singles title at Wimbledon following a flurry of high-profile exits earlier in the tournament.

After Paolini and Vekic played out the longest women’s semi-final at Wimbledon, it looked like the 25-year-old would make quick work of Thursday’s second match on Centre Court when she raced to a 4-0 lead before snapping up the first set.

But Krejcikova struck back in the second and, with the crowd behind her, she needed just a single break of serve to take control of the decider.

The 31st seed shot her arms into the air in celebration when fourth seed Rybakina fired long on the first match point.

“I am so proud about my game and my fighting spirit today,” Krejcikova said.

Asked if she ever believed she would reach a Wimbledon singles final, she said “no, never” before paying tribute to 1998 Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna, who coached Krejcikova before she died in 2017 at the age of 49.

“I am fighting for every ball and I am sure that is what she would want me to do,” she added.

It is the first time Krejcikova – a doubles specialist – has reached a Wimbledon singles final, and her first at a Grand Slam since she triumphed at the French Open in 2021.

It marks a remarkable return to form for the 28-year-old, who had a far-from-perfect build-up to Wimbledon – winning just three matches in the five months before the Championships after struggling with a back injury and illness.

American Gauff, 20, won her first major doubles title while her Czech partner claimed her eighth – and third in Paris.

Paolini fell to a second Grand Slam final defeat in as many days after she was beaten by world number one Iga Swiatek in the women’s final on Saturday.

Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic lifted the men’s doubles trophy on Saturday with a 7-5 6-3 win over Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.

Gauff was playing with Siniakova for the first time at a major after usual partner Jessica Pegula withdrew before the tournament with injury.

She and Pegula previously reached the Paris final together in 2022.

“Thank you Katerina for playing with me – we decided to do it two days before the tournament started,” US Open singles champion Gauff said.

“It was very last minute. I wasn’t planning on playing doubles, so thank you for asking me.”

Italian 12th seed Paolini won 6-2 4-6 6-4 against the Kazakhstani fourth seed on a windy Court Philippe-Chatrier.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Paolini, who wrapped up the win after two hours and three minutes at Roland Garros.

She will face Russian Mirra Andreeva or Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, with the pair playing later on Wednesday.

Paolini was competing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final following an impressive season which has seen the 28-year-old break into the top 15 for the first time and win her maiden WTA 1,000 title at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February.

But in former Wimbledon champion Rybakina, 24, she was facing the world number four and a player, alongside Sabalenka, who was favourite to challenge two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek for the title in Paris.

Paolini started brightly, showing no signs of nerves as she broke Rybakina in the opening game.

With Rybakina struggling for consistency, Paolini took advantage, serving her first three games to love with a whipping cross-court forehand winner.

Paolini broke again before seeing out the set 6-2 with Rybakina earning just a single point on the Italian’s serve.

Having dropped a set for the first time this year in Paris, Rybakina needed to respond and despite unforced errors punctuating her performance, she started to find more consistency with her strokes.

The pair traded multiple breaks before a key moment came at 5-4 as a Paolini backhand went long, giving Rybakina set point which she claimed with some good work at the net.

The deciding set saw both players hampered by the wind and struggling for consistency with unforced errors and breaks of serve.

At 4-4 a wild forehand into the net from Rybakina, which prompted a puzzled look from her coaching team, gave Paolini a 30-15 lead which she took advantage of, earning the chance to serve for the match.

A long backhand from Rybakina – her 48th unforced error – then gave Paolini victory for the biggest win of her career so far.

Who is Jasmine Paolini?

Paolini was born in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, a town in Tuscany, and made her debut on the WTA tour in 2015.

She has won two singles titles but has enjoyed her most productive year to date in 2024, reaching the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the Australian Open in January.

Her performance against Rybakina – who she beat for the second time in her nine-year career – won the backing of the Paris crowd, who cheered throughout her tenacious performance.

With Jannik Sinner also reaching the last four, there will be Italians in the semi-finals of both the men’s and women’s singles at a major for the first time in the Open era.

“It was a really tough match. I was a bit too emotional in the second set,” said Paolini.

“I said to myself, ‘OK, it is good. [Rybakina] is a great champion so it can happen’. I tried to hit every ball and it worked, I am here.

“I just tried to stay there every point, to forget what happened in the second set. I managed to come back and I just accept that and fight again. Thank you guys, thank you very much for cheering for me.”