CLICK HERE TO UPDATE LIVE LIVE
18.17 Our LIVE LIVE of the match between Paolini and Mertens therefore ends prematurely. Thanks for following us and good luck to everyone.
18.15 The statistics of these seven games indicate 79% of firsts for Paolini with 74% of points. He will face the British Katie Boulter, who is in great shape on this surface: it will be a good test for Jasmine in view of Wimbledon.
“I feel so sorry for her and I hope she recovers quickly, good luck to her. It’s difficult to say anything, I’m happy to be in this tournament, it’s a nice place and it’s a nice tournament.” These are Paolini’s first words in the heat of the moment.
Elise Mertens’ decision is to withdraw due to her knee problem, so the match ends here, Jasmine Paolini is in the quarter-finals.
Physiotherapist called by Mertens for a right knee problem.
5-2 Paolini. Another response thrown away by Mertens: the Italian consolidates the advantage in this first set.
A-40 Paolini makes life difficult for himself after the serve and forehand, he doesn’t close the volley, but then finds depth with the recovery almost with his back to the net.
40-40 A little uncertainty in approaching the net for Paolini between volleys and volleys: an error emerges.
40-30 External service, forehand along the line and smash: perfect point constructed by Paolini.
30-30 Excellent angle with the forehand crossed for Paolini who misses the conclusion from midfield.
30-15 The number 3 seed finds the winner with a backhand advance.
15-15 Paolini’s first serve is angled and deep.
0-15 Paolini doesn’t find support well on his backhand when coming out of serve.
4-2 PAOLINI BREAK. Excellent defensive slice, then charges with the forehand and the Italian goes on the run in the first set.
30-40 Paolini’s backhand is just long.
15-40 Beautiful second from Mertens, then Kader Nouni overrules and calls out the Belgian’s backhand: two break points.
15-30 Great response and splendid fan forehand from Jasmine.
15-15 Paolini attacks again with the response.
15-0 Mertens’ backhand approach is very deep and precise.
3-2 Paolini. The native of Castelnuovo Garfagnana comes back from 15-30 down and remains in command of this first set.
40-30 The Belgian’s defense is long with the backhand: the ball makes it 3-2 Paolini.
30-30 Great pace imposed on the dribble by Paolini, in the end the first to give in is Mertens who has to remove her hand on the backhand.
15-30 Mertens charges well with his forehand which is very deep and incisive.
15-15 Paolini overdoes it with her forehand: she went for a shot too close to the line.
15-0 Service and forehand for Paolini.
2-2. Another great serve and Mertens saves himself by canceling the break point.
A-40 First ace for the world number 33.
40-40 Mertens not quick and reactive when coming out of the service movement.
A-40 Mertens’ second serve is very deep and loaded.
40-40 Mertens puts the first ball and gets the point.
30-40 Mertens’ backhand coming out of serve hits the net: Paolini’s break point.
30-30 Paolini is extremely aggressive right from the response, Mertens defends herself strenuously and in the end the first to make a mistake is the Italian with her forehand.
15-30 Another forehand down the line wide for Mertens: the service game becomes complicated for the Belgian.
15-15 Paolini’s backhand flies away with the exchange underway.
0-15 Already the second double fault for Mertens.
2-1 Paolini. He slips the blue ball, but gets up like a cat and closes with the volley behind the serve.
40-30 Paolini carefully moves the ball first with his backhand down the line, then with his forehand to the other side.
30-30 Mertens tries with the forehand down the line, but misses the exit.
15-30 The pace of the exchange imposed by Paolini with the forehand was high.
0-30 He makes Paolini lower the ball too much and misses the volley.
0-15 Mertens’ response was aggressive.
1-1. This first match was also good for Mertens who held serve.
40-30 Mertens jams with a forehand: Paolini defends well after a long-range response by taking her hand off.
40-15 Paolini’s response slips away just a little as he tries to attack again with his backhand.
30-15 Consistent service from the Leuven player.
15-15 Double foul committed by Mertens.
15-0 Paolini’s response was slightly wide as he tried to attack.
1-0 Paolini. A good serve and an excellent first round held by Jasmine, very good grip on the match.
40-0 Another backhand error from the Belgian.
30-0 Mertens’ backhand goes away as he tried to put weight on.
15-0 Service and straight for Tuscany.
THE MATCH BEGINS! Jasmine Paolini serving.
5.34pm The two players enter the field: the warm-up phase now begins.
5.31pm Paolini who has already tasted the grass together with her doubles partner Sara Errani, losing in the first round against the Muhammad/Sutjiadi pair.
17.28 For Paolini there is a bête noire to exorcise: Elise Mertens has beaten her in four out of five previous matches, the only success of the player from Bagni di Lucca came in 2021 in Indian Wells.
5.25pm This is the first match of the season on grass for Jasmine Paolini who returns directly from the Roland Garros final: the Tuscan took a couple of weeks off before returning to Eastbourne to prepare for Wimbledon.
5.22pm Welcome back friends of OA Sport. Vukic beat Bublik with a double 6-4: soon it will be Jasmine Paolini’s turn on Court 1 against Elise Mertens in her debut on grass.
16.47 The moment of Jasmine Paolini’s debut on grass is approaching: Aleksandar Vukic won the first set 6-4 against Alexander Bublik. At the end of this match the Italian player’s commitment will begin.
Good afternoon to all OA Sport readers, and welcome LIVE LIVE of the second round match of the WTA 500 in Eastbourne featuring Jasmine Paolini and Elise Mertens. For the Tuscan, she returns to the field after the final at Roland Garros, and comes against the difficult Belgian.
As a debut on grass, for the number 1 in Italy and 7 in the world, who returns after the splendid ride that took her to the Roland Garros final, there were certainly many better options than the twenty-eight year old from Leuven (Leuven as it is known in Italy). Direct comparisons, in fact, say 1-4 with Paolini’s only success coming in 2021 in the second round of Indian Wells, a tournament in which the Italian entered as a lucky loser.
Having arrived almost a week ago in Eastbourne with the company of coach Renzo Furlan, Jasmine, two days ago, tried her hand at doubles with Sara Erranibut the USA/Indonesia duo was eliminated immediately Asia Muhammad/Altida Sutjiadi. Today, however, a challenge which, if won, could open up differently interesting scoreboard scenarios.
This is because in the quarter-final spot there is the possibility of facing the unpredictable Latvian Jelena Ostapenkonumber 5 in the seeding, or the British Katie Boulterwhich is confirming and relaunching its ambitions on the grass after the exploit of 2023 and the long wave of this year with two titles in a row in Nottingham.
The match between Jasmine Paolini and Elise Mertens will be the fourth on court 1 at Eastbourne after Keys-Kalinina (WTA), Ruusuvuori-Shang (ATP) and Bublik-Vukic (ATP). Have fun with OA Sport’s LIVE LIVE!
