Jasmine PAOLINI seals maiden WTA 1000 title with comeback win over Anna KALINSKAYA at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Jasmine Paolini is the winner of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after Anna Kalinskaya faltered at the final hurdle in the UAE. It was a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 win for the Italian ace who wins a maiden WTA 1000 title and follows in the footsteps of Jannik Sinner in bringing more success to the country.

Paolini herself benefitted earlier in the tournament from Elena Rybakina withdrawing due to stomach flu which saw her into the semi-finals where she faced Sorana Cirstea. Kalinskaya seemed to run out of gas in the clash as she has played since qualifying at the turn of the week. Also after battling past Iga Swiatek in straight sets, it proved that her final was in the round before.

She did come close to winning it though. In the first set, she broke immediately, but a back and forth ensued between the pair and saw Paolini lead 4-3. But at a vital moment, the Italian lost her serve and Kalinskaya went one away at 5-4 up and nicked the opener. She was in the ascendancy as Kalinskaya went 3-1 up. But three straight saw Paolini again bring herself into the tie as errors were costing Kalinskaya.

In a mirroring image, Paolini took a break at the last possible moment to avert a tie-break and sent it all the way. Kalinskaya did serve for the match in the third at 5-4 up. But she crumbled and Paolini broke to make it 5-5 and similar to the last set, the script was there for the Italian to make a get away as she took the lead and never looked back with a quick service hold to snatch the win and the title. A player who has been consistently on the rise without perhaps the landmark result to back it up, Paolini now has that.

Also it is a measure of some revenge from the Australian Open where Kalinskaya beat her en route to the Quarter-Finals in the open section.