Wimbledon Shocker: Jasmine Paolini Eliminated
LONDON – The All England Club witnessed another shocking turn of events as Jasmine Paolini, who made headlines with her impressive run to the Wimbledon finals last year, was eliminated in the second round of this year’s tournament. The day’s standout performance came from Kamilla Rakhimova, ranked No. 80 in the world, who pulled off a remarkable upset against the No. 4 seed Paolini, dramatically fighting back after dropping the first set.
Match Highlights
In a match played under the waning light on Court No. 3, Rakhimova, with nothing to lose, steadily increased her confidence and skill as the heat of competition intensified. The match reached a nail-biting climax in its final moments. Rakhimova, whose tenacity shone through, executed a series of powerful shots, culminating in a spectacular forehand at a critical juncture that caught the edge of the sideline. Paolini, on the other hand, found herself reeling, unable to believe the improbability of the unfolding situation, as she has been throughout the contest.
Despite initially impressing by serving for the first set at 5-3, Paolini was unable to maintain her momentum. Rakhimova bounced back to break her serve, quickly turning the tide of the match. Following a tightly contested second set, the Russian made her move, taking an early break in the final set—though many observers noted it might have been premature against a fighter like Paolini.
As the match progressed, Rakhimova maintained her composure under pressure. Even when the match reached deuce in the final game, she seized control, striking a fearsome inside-in forehand and dispatching a powerful serve, eventually leading to a fateful return from Paolini that allowed Rakhimova to finish the match with a flourish, concluding with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Trends at Wimbledon
Paolini’s disappointment marks a notable trend at this year’s Wimbledon, where four of the top five seeds have already faced elimination in the early days of competition. With only world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka remaining among the tournament’s top seeds, the landscape has drastically shifted. The No. 2 seed Coco Gauff, alongside No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula, also fell in straight sets to Dayana Yastremska and Elisabetta Cocciaretto, respectively, while Zheng Qinwen was also ousted by Kateřina Siniaková. The early exits of such top names have left fans and analysts eager to see how the rest of the tournament will unfold.
