Paolini Advances to Dubai Tennis Championship Final

Italian player Jasmine Paolini has reached her first final in a WTA 1000 event after defeating Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 7-6 in the semifinal of the Dubai Tennis Championship on Friday. Paolini saved six set points in the second set during the match, which lasted one hour and 57 minutes. The competition was not only about qualifying for the final but also about breaking into the top twenty in the world rankings for the first time, which Paolini achieved. Cirstea, 33, was aiming to become the oldest player to enter the top twenty for the first time since Mirjana Lucic-Baroni achieved this feat in 2017 at the age of 35. Cirstea was also seeking to qualify for the final of a WTA 1000 event for the first time in 11 years, according to the WTA website. However, Paolini showcased her superiority to secure her third victory in three meetings against Cirstea, sealing the match when Cirstea hit a backhand out of bounds. This marks Paolini's fifth final appearance in a WTA event, following her first-time reach to the fourth round of a Grand Slam at the Australian Open last month. Paolini will face the winner of the other semifinal match between world number one Iga Swiatek and Russian qualifier Anna Kalinskaya.