The 11th Day at Wimbledon was light in schedule. Although there was no match in the men’s singles category, the women’s singles semi-final between Jasmine Paolini and Donna Vekic still provided fans with the action they were looking for. As soon as the showdown ended, one common question that started to revolve around the whole tennis community was: How is Paolini so good on grass?

Jasmine Paolini recently locked her spot in the Wimbledon finals, becoming the first-ever Italian woman to do so. She took down Donna Vekic in the semi-finals with a scoreline of 6-2, 4-6, 6-6 (8-10). The showdown tested her potential for almost three hours but the 28-year-old managed to stand strong, winning the longest-ever semi-final showdown in Wimbledon history.

While tennis greats and analysts are currently discussing the element that backs her prowess on the grass courts, Nick Kyrgios has a unique statement. The ESPN commentator tried to explain her success, finding a spot in her physique that gives an upper hand. “When I’m on the grass and there are low balls, it’s hard for me to be aggressive, but for her, it’s hip high and she just launches off both sides,” Kyrgios said. The grass court suits Paolini’s height of five feet four inches. The ball bounces less on grass, making it easier for her to handle.

Kyrgios himself, standing at 6’4″, struggled to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals. Although he made it to the semis in 2022 after beating Cristian Garin 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), couldn’t extend his run beyond. However, despite her success, Paolini has always felt a need to exert extra effort, especially because of her height.

“I have to improve my serve, like percentage and also the spin. I cannot play flat because I’m 160 centimetres [tall],” she said, in an interview dating back to 2023. While the Australian ATP star and ESPN commentator thinks that her height could be advantageous, Jasmine Paolini’s thoughts lie on the contrary. As she now looks forward to getting the title in her name, Barbora Krejcikova still stands in her way.

“This match I will remember forever” Jasmine Paolini adds semi-final win to her good books

The recent semi-final showdown between Jasmine Paolini and Donna Vekic came out to be a complete pack of action and entertainment. While it was disappointment and tears for Vekic, her rival and Wimbledon finalist walked out with a big smile and a lifetime memory. She turned the court into a hall with her emotional words, saying, “For a tennis player, this is the best place to play a match like this and really, thank you for cheering for me. I’m so happy with this win, I think this match I will remember forever.”

Along with that, she also traveled through memory lane, remembering how it was a childhood dream of her. “It’s amazing to be here playing in this stadium. It’s a dream. I was watching Wimbledon finals when I was kid, so I’m enjoying it and just living in the present,” the Italian added. Paolini has come a long way on her run for the title, as there’s just one more challenge ahead of her, it still remains to be seen if she could surpass that.