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SPORTS Friday 12 July 2024
Jasmine Paolini wins Wimbledon’s longest women’s semifinal and

faces Krejcikova next

By HOWARD FENDRICH eyes, sighed or shook her
AP Tennis Writer head during her news con-
LONDON (AP) — Jasmine ference.
Paolini kept coming back, “I didn’t know how,” she said,
kept coming back, kept “I could keep playing.”
coming back, against Donna How surprising is Paolini’s re-
Vekic in what would become cent surge?
the longest Wimbledon wom- She never had managed
en’s semifinal on record after to make it past the second
dropping the opening set, af- round at any major tour-
ter being two games from nament losing in the first
defeat in each of the last two or second round in 16 ap-
sets, after twice trailing by a pearances in a row until
break in the third. she got to the fourth round
And all the while, this is what at the Australian Open in
Paolini kept telling herself January. And then there’s
Thursday: “Try, point by point” this: Paolini’s career record
and “Fight for every ball.” at Wimbledon was 0-3 until
Paolini never had won a this fortnight. Indeed, she did
match at the All England not own a single tour-level
Club until last week and win on grass anywhere until a
now will participate in her tuneup event at Eastbourne
second consecutive Grand last month.
Slam final, thanks to a rollick- Jasmine Paolini of Italy plays a forehand return to Donna Vekic of Croatia during their semifinal Krejcikova, a 28-year-old
ing 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) victory match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 11, 2024. from the Czech Republic, is
over the unseeded Vekic Associated Press not nearly as out-of-nowhere,
across 2 hours, 51 minutes on leave the All England Club Consider: Vekic, making her the same season since Ser- given that she has been a
Centre Court. “This match,” with the title in the past eight debut in a Slam semifinal, ena Williams in 2016. Grand Slam champion and
said the No. 7-seeded Paolini, editions of the tournament. ended up claiming more “These last months have ranked No. 2 in singles, as
who faces No. 31 Barbora Krejcikova trailed 4-0 at the points (118-111), delivering been crazy for me,” Paolini well as a seven-time major
Krejcikova for the title, “I will start, reeled off four of five more winners (42-26) and said with a laugh. champ and No. 1 in doubles.
remember forever.” games to take the second breaking serve more often Her win was anything but She’s also now 6-2 at major
As will many of the thousands set, then earned the pivotal (4-3). easy. Exhausting would be tournaments against past
who were present or the mil- break to move ahead 5-3 in “She was hitting winners ev- a more appropriate word. Slam champs.
lions watching on TV. the third against Rybakina, erywhere,” Paolini said. Vekic often was in obvious Her mentor, the late Jana
“It was,” Paolini said, “a roll- who entered the day with a But Paolini never went away, distress, crying between Novotna, won Wimbledon in
ercoaster of emotions.” 19-2 career mark at the All eventually converting her points and while sitting in 1998, and Krejcikova teared
The same could be said of England Club. third match point when Ve- her changeover chair late up while speaking about her
the second semifinal, which “During the second set, kic sent a forehand wide. This in the third set because, she influence.
lasted 44 fewer minutes but somewhere in the middle, I showing on the grass courts at said afterward, of pain in an “I have so many beautiful
contained its own share of was getting my momentum,” Wimbledon follows Paolini’s arm and a leg and often memories, and when I step
plot twists as 2021 French Krejcikova said. “And when runner-up finish to Iga Swiatek looked up at her guest box on the court here, I’m just
Open champion Krejcikova I broke her, I started to be in on the red clay at the French with a flushed face. She iced fighting for every single ball,
came back to eliminate 2022 a zone and I didn’t want to Open last month.Paolini, a her right forearm between because I think that’s what
Wimbledon champion Elena leave the zone.” 28-year-old from Italy, is the games. she would want me to do,”
Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Still, it couldn’t approach the first woman to get to the title “I thought I was going to die Krejcikova said. “I just miss
Whoever wins on Saturday drama produced by Paolini matches at Roland Garros in the third set,” said Vekic, her very much. I miss her so
will be the eighth woman to and Vekic. and the All England Club in who repeatedly closed her much.” q

Bill Belichick joining ‘Inside the NFL’ for upcoming season

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bill Belichick has add- ment. “I’ve always appreciated ‘Inside
ed a second media job for the upcoming the NFL’s’ depth of analysis, and I hope to
season. bring the same detailed insight to The CW
The CW Network announced Thursday by talking real football with real pros Ryan,
that Belichick will be one of the analysts on Chris and Chad this coming season.”
“Inside the NFL.” Belichick, who coached “Inside the NFL,” which is in its 48th season,
the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl is produced by NFL Films. While Belichick
titles during his 24 years at the helm, will was infamous for his short answers and re-
also appear on the Manningcast during fusing to engage with reporters while he
“Monday Night Football.” was a coach, the times he has been re-
Belichick joins Ryan Clark, Chad Johnson vealing and forthcoming have often been
and Chris Long. Johnson and Long each on shows or pieces produced by NFL Films.
played one season for Belichick in New Belichick was nominated for a Sports
England. Emmy for Outstanding Studio Analyst for
“I’m thrilled to join my new team at NFL his work on the 2019 NFL Films series “NFL New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks with
Films and to work on such a historic tele- 100 All-Time Team,” which aired on NFL reporters before NFL football practice, Wednesday, Oct. 27,
vision franchise,” Belichick said in a state- Network.q 2021, in Foxborough, Mass.
Associated Press