Jasmine Paolini, sweaty but winning debut at Roland Garros
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Winning debut for Jasmine Paolini at Roland Garros 2026. The Italian overcame Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska in two sets with a score of 7-5 6-3, in a debut that was anything but easy against a player fresh from her success in the WTA 125 in Parma and eager to revive a so far disappointing season. For the Tuscan now there will now be in the second round the Argentine Solana Sierra, protagonist last year of a historic eighth final at Wimbledon as a lucky loser. The South American eliminated Emma Raducanu in the opener. No previous record between her and Paolini.
The start of the match is balanced, with both solid in the early service turns. The challenge heated up in the fourth game, when Yastremska conceded three break points with some free errors, but managed to save herself. On the fourth chance, however, Paolini breaks serve thanks to a wide forehand from the Ukrainian. The lead is short-lived: Yastremska immediately reacts with a counterbreak to zero and, taking advantage of an empty passage of the Italian seasoned by two double faults, flies to 4-3.
The Ukrainian seems in control until 5-3, but here everything changes. Paolini stays hooked in the set, while her opponent suddenly collapses, giving away the counterbreak with a series of errors. From that moment, the Italian number one strung nine consecutive points and closed the first partial 7-5 after 49 minutes.
In the second set Paolini has to immediately cancel three break points, showing great lucidity in delicate moments. The decisive game, however, came soon after: a very long 22-point second game in which the Italian, at the fourth good opportunity, found the 2-0 break with a forehand cross on the line.
Yastremska tries to come back and even builds a chance for the counterbreak, but Paolini maintains control of the match. However, the Ukrainian continues to struggle and gives spectacular tennis at times, but is unable to reverse the inertia of the match. At 5-3 there also comes a small final thrill for the Italian, down 15-30 in the final game and penalized by an incorrect call on a match point. After the repeated point, however, a first-set winner closed the score once and for all.
