Jasmine Paolini, no match for Aryna Sabalenka in Stuttgart

“I hope Sunday will be a different story, a different game. I hope I can play better myself, make her play a little bit’ worse, trying to put her in trouble.” And indeed Jasmine Paolini held true to what she had said on Saturday in the press conference, only it was not enough to avoid going out of the semifinals of the “Porsche Tennis Grand Prix” (WTA 500 – prize money $925,661) that is heading to the final bars on the indoor clay of the “Porsche Arena” in Stuttgart, Germany.

The 29-year-old from Bagni di Lucca, No. 6 in the ranking and fifth favorite in the seeding, accompanied a by new coach Marc Lopez, succumbed 75 64, in an hour and 35 minutes of play, to the world number one, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who for the fourth time reaches the bottom in this tournament after having succeeded for three years in a row (2021-2023) but never winning the title.

Aryna was not as devastating as her usual on serve: 2 aces and 2 double faults, 55% first serve (much better Jasmine with almost 76%) which, however, allowed her to win 70% of the points (only 56% for the Italian). Both were not very incisive with the second: 33% Sabalenka, 31% Paolini. The Belarusian cancelled 4 of the 8 break points she conceded while converting 6 of 8.