Paolini and Swiatek Advance in Bad Homburg
Jasmine Paolini, the second seed, defeated Leylah Fernandez in an exciting round of 16 match at the Bad Homburg Open. The match, full of drama, ended with a score of 7-6(8) 7-6(6), where Fernandez saved four match points. Paolini took the first set in a tiebreak, saving a set point at 5-4 and securing the set with a score of 10-8 after an intense 26-shot rally. The Italian seemed headed for a straight-sets victory after leading 5-2 in the second set. However, the Canadian Fernandez saved a match point with an ace and managed to come back. Paolini had more opportunities to close the match at 6-5, but Fernandez saved the three match points, forcing another tiebreak. Fernandez went ahead 6-4 in the tiebreaker, but Paolini held firm, saving two set points before securing the victory on her fifth match point. Despite converting only five of her 17 break points, Paolini secured her first grass-court victory this season after a two-and-a-half-hour match.Iga Swiatek, the fourth seed, also advanced by defeating Victoria Azarenka with a score of 6-4 6-4. Swiatek came back from a slow start, breaking Azarenka’s serve to go up 4-3 and then tying the set. The Pole broke again to take a 5-4 lead and saved two break points in a tense final game before Azarenka sent a forehand wide, conceding the set. Players traded breaks early in the second set before Swiatek pulled away. After breaking for 4-3, the top seed held serve twice more to secure the straight-sets victory. Naomi Osaka’s poor form continued, losing 6-4 6-4 against Emma Navarro, the fifth-seeded American. Navarro will face her compatriot Jessica Pegula on Thursday, after the first seed defeated Katerina Siniakova 6-2 6-3.It’s very fun to play on grass, but you have to get used to it and be confident in your game, otherwise it’s really difficult.
Jasmine Paolini
