Australian Open: Svitolina recovers from slow start to upset Paolini and reach last 16
Elina Svitolina won against Jasmine Paolini 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 on Saturday night and will play Russian Veronika Kudermetova in the next round
Elina Svitolina (Virginie Bouyer/Panoramic)
Elina Svitolina, the No 28 seed, defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini, the No 4 seed, 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 to move into the last 16 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
The Ukrainian got off to a slow start, with unforced errors leaking from her racquet as the world No 4 took full advantage to secure a comfortable opening-set win.
However, Svitolina’s level elevated considerably across the final two sets as she powered through to a last-16 berth in impressive fashion.
While currently ranked 27th in the world, Svitolina is a WTA stalwart and one who is always a potential threat to a Grand Slam title.
On paper, this is an upset for Svitolina, against a player who enjoyed a stellar breakthrough season last year – reaching the final of both Wimbledon and Roland-Garros. But Paolini will be well aware that she was outplayed by a quality opponent today.
Svitolina, ranked No 27, will play Russian Veronika Kudermetova next.
Earlier in the tournament, the Ukrainian won against Romanian Sorana Cirstea (6-4, 6-4) and American Caroline Dolehide (6-1, 6-4).
Paolini, ranked No 4, won against Chinese qualifier Sijia Wei (6-0, 6-4) and Mexican Renata Zarazua (6-2, 6-3) in the previous rounds of the first Grand Slam tournament of the 2025 season.
Melbourne (Grand Slam), other third-round results (Melbourne Park, hard, USD 60.627.573, most recent results first):
- Madison Keys vs. Danielle Collins
- Veronika Kudermetova beat Beatriz Haddad Maia (15): 6-4, 6-2
- Elena Rybakina (6) beat Dayana Yastremska (32): 6-3, 6-4
- Daria Kasatkina (9) beat Yulia Putintseva (24): 7-5, 6-1
- Eva Lys (LL) beat Jaqueline Cristian: 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
- Iga Swiatek (2) beat Emma Raducanu: 6-1, 6-0
- Emma Navarro (8) beat Ons Jabeur: 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
- Olga Danilovic beat Jessica Pegula (7): 7-6 (3), 6-1
- Coco Gauff (3) beat Leylah Fernandez (30): 6-4, 6-2
- Belinda Bencic beat Naomi Osaka: 7-6 (3) ret.
- Mirra Andreeva (14) beat Magdalena Frech (23): 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
- Paula Badosa (11) beat Marta Kostyuk (17): 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
- Aryna Sabalenka (1) beat Clara Tauson: 7-6 (5), 6-4
- Donna Vekic (18) beat Diana Shnaider (12): 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 7-5
- Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (27) beat Laura Siegemund: 6-1, 6-2
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