BY JAMES BECK
Jasmine Paolini’s path to a Grand Slam title might have fallen apart in Wimbledon’s semifinals.
Barbara Krejcikova is just the kind of player Paolini might not want to face.
Otherwise, grass is good for Paolini. She just eats up all of those low ball-sliding grass shots that her opponents have been providing. Those shots are perfect for the 5-3 Italian. She doesn’t have to get down very low since she is naturally there already, and she has great quickness. So, Wimbledon’s grass was made for someone like Paolini.
CAN PAOLINI HANDLE KREJCIKOVA’S BAG OF TRICKS
Krejcikova has a bag full of tricks to throw at Paolini. Balls come off her racket twisting and turning just enough to throw Paolini’s reach-back cocked forehands off their mark. And Krejcikova has the experience needed to bring home an overall 12th Grand Slam title.
But you have to admit that the stubby Paolini is quite a player. She’s like a bouncing ball running loose on the court.
Paolini definitely was a superb player against new star Emma Navarro, who could do little right against the little Italian. Paolini just did everything to Navarro’s game that Navarro had been using to dominate the Italian.
THE SLY GAME OF KREJCIKOVA
Navarro couldn’t take charge of the points against Paolini in the quarterfinals, just the opposite of Navarro’s play against powerful Coco Gauff in the round of 16.
But Krejcikova is so sly with her game that she can take the rhythm right out of Paolini’s game.
After all, Krejcikova won the 2021 French Open singles title. She also has been a part of doubles champions at all four Grand Slams, and has won a total of seven Grand Slam doubles titles and three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.
That’s 11 Grand Slam titles. What’s another title to the 28-year-old Czech?
VEKIC HAD HER CHANCES
Donna Vekic had her chances to end Paolini’s march to Saturday’s final, but the 28-year-old Croatian seemed to go for broke every time down the stretch when she had an add or deuce point. That’s probably why the 28-year-old Vekic has never been ranked higher than 19th in the world.
Time after time Vekic went for the jugular with sizzling cross-court shots that narrowly missed the lines late in the third set before losing, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6.
Of course, Paolini’s amazing quickness may have had something to do with those misses.
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James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award for print media. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.
