Donna Vekic Overcomes Personal Struggles to Reach Wimbledon Semi-Finals
A few weeks ago, just before the French Open, Donna Vekic nearly quit tennis, and now she is in the Wimbledon semi-finals, where she will face Jasmine Paolini on Thursday for a place in the Championship final. It’s unbelievable, it’s amazing to get the win in this special court. I’m so happy to be in the semi-final. I don’t know what to say in this moment. It’s a dream to be here in this position… I was watching finals when I was a kid, on this court. I have to say today I played a really good match, she’s a really tough opponent, I lost [to] her three times in the last year, so it was tough.
Struggles and Triumphs
After an early loss at the Berlin Open, where she had reached the final in 2023, the Croatian slumped down the rankings and was close to leaving the Top 50, but a run to the final in Bad Homburg sent her back into the Top 40, and now she is set to return to the Top 20 after a dream Wimbledon run.
“Those couple of years [2021 and 2022] were very tough,” said Vekic. “I didn’t think I was ever going to come back to the level that I even had last year.
So this now, reaching my best result ever at a Slam, I’m really proud of myself, of the work that I’ve done, of the work that my team has done.”
Quarter-Final Victory
Vekic made the 43rd appearance at a major tournament in her 12-year professional career and outlasted qualifier Lulu Sun from New Zealand in the quarter-final match. The rain outside was no match for the intensity under the closed roof of No 1 Court.
Vekic dominated in the third set, showcasing her skills and resilience on the grass court. Her performance matches a Wimbledon best for her country, being the second woman representing Croatia to make the semi-finals after Mirjana Lucic in 1999.
Path to Resurgence
Bouncing back from struggles, Vekic attributes her resurgence to the work she has done with 22-time major champion Pam Shriver, who has been the inspiration the Croatian needed to thrive. Her recent performance at Wimbledon follows a series of achievements and victories in the past years.
Vekic continued her outstanding form with a resilient performance against Lulu Sun in the quarter-finals, displaying her mastery of the grass court and her determination to succeed in the competition.
Jasmine Paolini Makes History by Advancing to Wimbledon Semi-Finals
In the second quarter-final of the day, World No 7 Paolini blitzed Emma Navarro, the 19th-seeded American, in just 58 minutes on Centre Court, becoming the first Italian woman to make the Wimbledon semi-finals. Paolini’s remarkable performance marks a historic moment for Italian tennis at Wimbledon.
The win was particularly significant for Paolini, who expressed her joy and disbelief at reaching the semi-final stage. “It’s unbelievable, it’s amazing to get the win in this special court. I’m so happy to be in the semi-final,” Paolini said after the match, reflecting on her journey to this point.
Paolini’s exceptional display of skill and determination propelled her to victory against her opponent, cementing her place in Wimbledon history as the first Italian woman to reach the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament.
