Jasmine Paolini survived a scare during her first match at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
Paolini, a former finalist at the Championships, looked to be on her way out of the event after losing the first set 6-0 to American Robin Montgomery.
However, the Italian refused to go down without a fight, roaring back to claim the next two sets 6-4, 7-5.
Who will win the women’s Wimbledon title this year?
Vote now!
This victory should give Paolini the boost she needs after a difficult six months on the WTA Tour.
The manner of Paolini’s victory was particularly impressive, and she has now accomplished a momentous Wimbledon feat.
Jasmine Paolini emulates 40-year-old feat
As reported by OptaAce, Jasmine Paolini has become the first seeded player to win a Women’s Singles main draw match at Wimbledon after losing the opening set 6-0 since 1986.
The last player to achieve such a feat was Claudia Kohde-Kilsch.
Kohde-Kilsch, seeded fourth in the event, found herself 6-0 behind against unseeded Japanese player Etsuko Inoue.
The German star fought back to secure her spot in the second round, winning the next two sets 6-1, 6-2.
Kohde-Kilsch went on to reach the third round, where she lost to Italian Raffaella Reggi.
After beating Montgomery, Jasmine Paolini will play Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic in the Wimbledon second round.
Golubic, the world number 62, defeated Iryna Schymanovich 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 on Tuesday afternoon.
If Paolini defeats Golubic, she will play either Kamilla Rakhimova or Maria Sakkari in the third round.
Paolini was projected to play Iga Swiatek in the fourth round, should the Italian advance that far.
However, Swiatek was stunned by Taylor Townsend in the first round, meaning Paolini is now the highest-seeded player in her section of the draw.
Jasmine Paolini’s poor record against Viktorija Golubic
Paolini has a 1-3 career record against Viktorija Golubic.
Between 2014 and 2022, the Italian lost three consecutive matches to the Swiss player – at the 2014 Barnstaple Open, 2021 Saint-Malo Open, and 2022 Indian Wells.
Paolini won their last contest at the 2022 Warsaw Open, triumphing 1-6, 6-2, 6-2.
| Tournament | Winner | Score |
| 2014 Barnstaple Open | Golubic | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2021 Saint-Malo Open | Golubic | 6-1, 6-3 |
| 2022 Indian Wells | Golubic | 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 |
| 2022 Warsaw Open | Paolini | 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 |
Paolini went on to reach the semi-finals in Poland, where she was defeated by WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia.
