PARIS (AP) 鈥� Jasmine Paolini is struggling to believe she's into her first Grand Slam final.
Paolini, who had never previously been past the fourth round at a major tournament, continued her run at the French Open by beating Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 6-1 in Thursday's semifinals.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great feeling to be in a Grand Slam final,鈥� the 28-year-old Italian said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know. It seems something impossible, you know, but it鈥檚 true.鈥�
She faces two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek in Saturday's final, the day before the men's final.
And an Italian double is still a possibility because Jannik Sinner can reach the men's final on Friday. Win or lose, the Australian Open champion Sinner will have the No. 1 ranking on Monday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unbelievable to see Jannik when he was 15 years old say that his dream was to be No. 1,鈥� Paolini said. 鈥淔or me it鈥檚 something different. I never dreamed to be in a Grand Slam final, and I鈥檓 here. I鈥檓 so happy.鈥�
Paolini was far more clinical than the 17-year-old Andreeva, winning four of six break points while Andreeva was 0-6. Andreeva appeared tearful after going 4-1 down in the second set.
鈥淚 could have played better,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had a lot of mistakes.鈥�
Andreeva missed three break points in the fifth game of the first set on Court Philippe Chatrier. Instead of pulling back to 3-2, she trailed 4-1 and her confidence seemed to wane.
Missing a shot at deuce in the sixth game of the second set, she remonstrated with her racket.
Paoloni broke Andreeva to love in the next game, winning on her first match point with a forehand winner at the net.
She smiled broadly, clenched her fists, then praised the crowd 鈥� in two languages.
鈥淕razie mille, ragazzi (Thanks, guys)," Paolini said, before adding 鈥淢erci beaucoup a toute la France (Thanks a lot to all of France).鈥�
The 23-year-old Swiatek remains on course for a fifth major, including four at Roland Garros.
After in the second round, she won 6-2, 6-4 on Friday to extend her winning streak in Paris to 20 matches.
Swiatek has 21 career singles titles, compared to two for Paolini. Paolini鈥檚 career record at the French Open before this year was 3-5; Swiatek鈥檚 career Roland Garros record after eliminating Gauff is 34-2.
鈥淚ga is unbelievable player,鈥� Paolini said. 鈥淪o young, but so many achievements and Grand Slams.鈥�
Andreeva, meanwhile, leaves Roland Garros with something she worked hard to get: a photo with three-time major winner Andy Murray.
鈥淚t was a nice moment in the beginning of the tournament because I had a gift. I had, like, retro camera,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚 made a list with who I want to take a picture. Of course, Andy, he was first on the list.鈥�
But she was reluctant to approach him.
鈥淗e was warming up, he was eating. So I was, like, 鈥榃ell, next time, next time.鈥� Then on that day I saw him just talking to his team. I was, like, 鈥榃ell, he鈥檚 busy, no, no, no,鈥�" Andreeva continued. "My coach was, like, 鈥楴o, you go, you do it, and after we forget about it.鈥� So she kind of pushed me to him. Well, finally, I had a picture with him.鈥�
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AP tennis:
Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
