Paolini beats Kalinskaya in three sets and triumphs in Dubai

Jasmine Paolini experiences the best day of her career. In Dubai the Tuscan tennis player wins her first WTA 1000 in her career, the second tournament overall and rises to number 14 in the ranking, further improving the already sensational result she achieved by reaching the final (she was already number 16). Jasmine concludes a wonderful tournament with the victory over Anna Kalinskaya, who had beaten her in the round of 16 of the Australian Open. She wins in a comeback, as a true fighter, a Paolini who in a few months has become the Italian number 1 and who is now certainly among the best players in the world. She finishes 4-6 7-5 7-5 for Paolini, so good that she turned the match around when it seemed lost (happened in two hours and 15 minutes).

the match

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Kalinskaya appears on the pitch with incredible ease and only scores winners that quickly take her lead to 2-0. Jasmine tries to extend the exchanges, recovers the break deficit and gets back to 2-2. It’s (at least apparently) a flash in the pan, because Anna breaks the joke again and takes the lead again. Serving, however, is not a factor, with both players returning with their feet inside the court. In the seventh game Jasmine holds the serve and for the first time in the match she puts her face in front of her. A joy that doesn’t last long, because the Russian maintains serve and then goes up 5-4, hitting the break (at 15) with a backhand passer. Anna goes to serve for the set and never trembles, dominating with the first serve.

epilogue

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The situation does not improve (indeed) at the beginning of the second set, with Kalinskaya continuing to make Paolini wipe the screen. At 3-2 Jasmine tries to get back into the match and is very good at finding the break which rekindles her hopes. Suddenly Anna’s shots become less incisive and at 5-5 the match seems very balanced. Jasmine gains confidence, holds serve and then dominates the 12th game, taking home the set 7-5 in 48 minutes. The third set opens with three consecutive breaks, before Kalinskaya dusts off the first, taking the lead 3-1. Anna initially manages the lead break well, but at 4-3 she concedes a 4-4 ball, canceled out with 3 consecutive points, which lead Jasmine to serve to stay in the match. Paolini does not betray and closes the game at 15, shortening it to 4-5. Kalinskaya, after the change of court, serves to win the tournament: completely packed, the Russian loses serve at 15 and everything opens up again, it’s 5-5. Bewitched, Paolini goes up 6-5 and this time Kalinskaya serves to send the match to a tie-break. The Russian goes completely haywire and commits a series of disasters (including a double fault). With a run of 16 points to 3, Jasmine Paolini takes the game and the tournament, exploding with joy after Kalinskaya’s last mistake.