Jasmine Paolini, on the beloved red clay of Roland Garros, where this year she reached the final in both singles and doubles at the French Opensees her dreams of a medal vanish in the women’s singles. The 28-year-old from Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, number 5 in the world and fourth seed in the five-ring tournament, lost to Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, 67 in the international ranking, with a score of 7-5 3-6 7-5. In the first set, the Italian was leading 5-2 but suffered a comeback from her opponent. Then, in the second set, she managed to impose her tennis once again. Finally, in the third set, the Italian (who was the last Italian competing in the singles) paid a bit of a price for tiredness, also due to the great heat in Paris today. “I had many chances in the first set and also in the third but I couldn’t take advantage of them.. Mentally I didn’t feel 100% clear and the emblem was that game at 5-4 and serving in the third with two missed forehands”, said the Tuscan. “I wasn’t clear and concentrated, I tried but it was tough, I was a bit nervous, I wanted to do well. This put a bit more tension on me and I struggled to do what I had to do”, added Jasmine Paolini.
The Italian number one’s prompt reaction then came in doubles, paired with Sara Errani. The two Italians, third seeded favourites, won against the French Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry, with a score of 5-7 6-3 10-8. Thus they reached the quarterfinals, where they will face the winners of the match Boulter/Watson – Haddad Maia/Stefani (number six in the draw), scheduled for tomorrow. Also on the scene tomorrow will be the last Italian standard-bearer in the men’s singles, namely Lorenzo Musetti. The Tuscan today won a good match against the Argentine Mariano Navone, 7-6 (2) 6-3, and tomorrow at 1 pm, in the round of 16, he will challenge the American Taylor Fritz, beaten this year in Monte Carlo and Wimbledon. Then on the court, in the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles, the duo Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori, against the Dutch couple Schuurs/Koolhof.