Jasmine Paolini has finalized the semi-final lineup at the 2025 Stuttgart Open with Coco Gauff’s disappointing season continuing into clay. The Italian sealed the win 6-4, 6-3 and will now face Aryna Sabalenka.
Gauff is in the top 10 still in the WTA Race but hasn’t kicked on after initially having a new coach bounce last season towards the end.
Paolini who has recently split with long-time coach Renzo Furlan, is producing some of her best form for a long while with Roland Garros Final still to defend in just over a month. She has added Marc Lopez of Rafael Nadal coaching fame, so the Spaniard seems to be having an effect already.
She is having a superb week and had to come throw some adversity in order to do it coming from 2-4 down to win the first set, 6-4, and she only lost three more games in the whole match.
It’s a missed opportunity from Gauff, who has suffered a first loss to Paolini and, with Iga Swiatek now out, could’ve had a huge opportunity to make a statement, especially given that it is Alexandrova or Ostapenko in the final for the winner of the other tie between now Sabalenka and Paolini.
So whoever seals it will be favorite to see off either based on ranking. Gauff now moves onto Madrid hoping to rekindle her form and searching for more answers once more.
Paolini going into Sunday will be looking to overturn another head-to-head that she hasn’t performed that well in albeit with wins previously. She is 4-2 down to Sabalenka, who has only played one match this week. She faced Elise Mertens, winning 6-4, 6-1.
After ball-mark drama, Sabalenka was ruthless as she eased through, and given that she still hasn’t won a Porsche despite many attempts, will have her sights set on overturning Paolini. But what resistance can Paolini, who could add a buffer amid the points that will drop off over the next two Grand Slam tournaments, offer?
Match Statistics Gauff vs. Paolini
| Other | ||
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Service | ||
| Gauff | VS | Paolini |
| 1 | Aces | 1 |
| 3 | Double Faults | 0 |
| 66% (35/53) | 1st Service Percentage | 75% (54/72) |
| 51% (18/35) | 1st Service Points Won | 54% (29/54) |
| 39% (7/18) | 2nd Service Points Won | 61% (11/18) |
| 50% (5/10) | Break Points Saved | 57% (4/7) |
| 44% (4/9) | Service Games | 67% (6/9) |
| 46% (25/54) | 1st Return Points Won | 49% (17/35) |
| 39% (7/18) | 2nd Return Points Won | 61% (11/18) |
| – | Break Points Saved | – |
| 1h 26m | Match Duration | 1h 26m |
