Paolini thanks 'idol' Roger Federer after reaching Wimbledon quarterfinals
It's hard enough to play on Centre Court at the All England Club, with the world watching, for a spot in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Add to that the pressure of playing in front of 20-time Grand Slam singles champion Roger Federer, and for Jasmine Paolini it was almost too much to handle.
It turned out not to be, however, as the former Wimbledon finalist edged Filipina sensation Alexandra Eala 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 on Monday to advance to the last eight in London.
Addressing the crowd in her on-court interview after the match, an overjoyed Paolini expressed what it meant to play in front of Federer, who was taking in the match from the Royal Box.
"I want to thank you, Roger Federer, because he's my idol," Paolini said, to which Federer showed his appreciation and gratitude. "It was tough. I was like, during the match, 'Please stay focused. Stay focused. Don't think about [him being] here.'
"I was watching all the finals and all the tournaments he was playing here, so it's an amazing feeling. But I would like to thank everybody who is here."
Paolini, who has fallen to No. 17 in the PIF WTA Rankings after beginning the year in the Top 10, came into this tournament with a subpar 11-12 record in WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz play. This is just her second quarterfinal appearance in 12 tournaments this year, not including the United Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, which are team competitions.
It's her second trip to the Wimbledon quarterfinals, and she's the first Italian woman ever to reach that benchmark.
Paolini will next play Marta Kostyuk, who beat American Ashlyn Krueger earlier on Monday, for a spot in the semifinals. Kostyuk has been one of the hottest players on the WTA Tour since the start of the Clay-Court Swing, winning 20 of her last 21 matches and a pair of titles in Rouen and Madrid. She's into her first Wimbledon quarterfinal.
They've played three times before, but not since 2023. Paolini leads the head-to-head 2-1, though they've never played on grass.
