Former finalist Paolini stunned at Wimbledon; Raducanu, Osaka go through

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Italys Jasmine Paolini leaves the court after losing her second-round match.

PHOTO: EPA

Summary

• Jasmine Paolini, last years runner-up, lost to Kamilla Rakhimova 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, marking her exit from Wimbledon and continuing the trend of high-seed losses.
• Emma Raducanu defeated Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-3, showcasing a strong performance reminiscent of her 2021 US Open win. I played really, really well, said Raducanu.
• Naomi Osaka progressed easily defeating Katerina Siniakova 6-3, 6-2. Paolini said she did some stupid mistakes, and needed to improve her mental game.

AI generated

LONDON - Last year’s runner-up Jasmine Paolini joined the exodus of fancied players at this year’s Wimbledon after the Italian fourth seed crashed out 4-6 6-4 6-4 against Russian Kamilla Rakhimova on July 2.

The ever-smiling Paolini’s sunshine tennis lit up the All England Club during her run to the title clash last year but the 29-year-old cut a grim figure in the final set of her clash with Rakhimova on a shadowy Court Three.

Paolini, who was similarly dragged the distance in her opening victory over Anastasija Sevastova, was unable to muster the fight needed to quell the challenge of the unseeded Rakhimova and let her opponent build a 4-2 lead in the decider.

Rakhimova, enjoying her best run at the grasscourt Grand Slam, edged closer to victory when Paolini sent a shot long at the baseline in the final game and the 23-year-old wrapped up her first top-10 win on her fourth match point.

Paolini’s exit means only one of the top five women’s seeds - world number one Aryna Sabalenka - will be in the third