Daria Kasatkina came back from one set down to beat this year’s Roland Garros Jasmine Paolini 3-6 7-5 6-3 in the semifinal in Eastbourne reaching her second consecutive final at this tournament.
Kasatkina won six of the final seven games to beat Paolini, who was playing her first tournament since reaching the singles and doubles finals at Roland Garros.
Kasatkina beat Paolini for the first time since 2019. They are now level to 3-3 in their six head-to-head matches.
The first set featured nine breaks, including five in the first set. Kasatkina earned an early break in the first game of the opening set, but Paolini broke straight back in the second game. Paolini broke for the second time in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. Kasatkina broke straight back in the seventh game for 3-4. Paolini earned her third break in the eighth game to win the first set 6-3.
Both players went on serve in the first nine games of the second set. Both players fended off a combined six break points. Kasatkina sealed the second set with a late break in the 12thgame.
Kasatkina went down in the first game of the third set, but she broke back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Kasatkina broke again in the sixth game before serving out the win in the ninth game.
“It’s never easy to come to the tournament where you have to defend a lot of points, but I am really that I was able to play good and I was able to enjoy myself on court, always finding a way to come back in the match. I am really proud of myself. On grass, everything can change in any moment, so I was trying to be focused on each point and fight until the end against a player who is playing incredible this year”, said Kasatkina.
Kasatkina will face 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, who beat Madison Keys 6-3 3-6 6-3. Fernandez is chasing the third final of her career in her six finals.
“Grass suits Leylah very good. She is a very aggressive player, always trying to stay inside the court. She is in great form, beat very good players this week, in the finals everyone wants to win, so I will just go and try to enjoy myself, and let’s see how this final is going to turn out”, said Kasatkina.
Fernandez converted her third break point in the second game to open up a 3-0 lead. Keys broke straight back in the fifth game for 2-3. Fernandez earned her second break in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead and served out at love in the ninth game.
Keys broke Fernandez in the second game of the second set and held serve at 15 to open up a 3-0 lead. Fernandez broke back in the fifth game and held serve to 30 in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Keys earned her second break in the eighth game to seal the second set 6-3.
Fernandez converted her third break in the second game and held serve at 15 to open up a 3-0 lead. The Canadian player fended off four break points in the ninth game before sealing the biggest win of her season on her second match point.