Jasmine Paolini and Veronika Kudermetova were midway through their Cincinnati Masters 1000 semifinal on Friday, with Paolini up 3-2 in the opening set as the match got underway. The Italian, seed No. 7, advanced to this stage by edging past Coco Gauff in a three-set battle in the quarterfinals, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Paolini’s performance in Cincinnati continues a strong run this season. She also reached the semifinals in doubles with Sara Errani, aiming for a third WTA 1000 semifinal of the year after runs in Miami and Rome. In the singles quarterfinal against Gauff, Paolini trailed after the first set but found her footing, turning the match around with resilience and energy, eventually securing the win in just over two hours.
Facing Paolini is Kudermetova, ranked world No. 36, who holds an advantage in their head-to-head record, though their most recent meeting dates back four years. Kudermetova is known for a powerful serve and hard-hitting groundstrokes, which will test Paolini’s defense and consistency. Paolini acknowledged the challenge, praising Kudermetova’s weapons while noting that this semifinal could tell a different story given the current form.
“I’m happy with my level here. Coco forced me to run a lot, played incredibly,” Paolini said. “Then I started to feel the ball much better. I stayed in every point, I fought hard, and it paid off.” The Italian also spoke about the pressure of balancing singles with doubles, where she and Errani are pushing to reach the doubles final.
On the same grounds, Iga Swiatek reached her first Cincinnati final by defeating Elena Rybakina in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, signaling a breakthrough moment for the Polish No. 3 and marking a high point of the American hard-court swing.
Paolini’s semifinal and doubles ambitions add to what has already been a busy and demanding week in Ohio. If she can maintain the aggressive tempo that carried her past Gauff and keep serving well, she could push Kudermetova and keep her season’s momentum going toward a potential first-time Cincinnati final appearance.
Summary of key points:
– Jasmine Paolini leads Veronika Kudermetova 3-2 in the first set of their Cincinnati semifinal (match in progress).
– Paolini defeated Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, and is also in the doubles final with Sara Errani.
– Veronika Kudermetova is a strong server and a difficult test, with a head-to-head edge over Paolini dating back four years.
– Iga Swiatek reached her first Cincinnati final by beating Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3.
– Paolini’s continued surge on the WTA Tour, including three WTA 1000 semifinals this season, keeps her in the frame for notable late-season wins.