Elina Svitolina beat Jasmine Paolini came back from one set down to beat Jasmine Paolini 2-6 6-4 6-0 on Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne reaching the second round at the Australian Open.
Svitolina completed a great day for her family following the win of her husband Gael Monfils over Taylor Fritz in the third round.
Svitolina has clinched her first top 5 win since beating Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon in 2023.
Svitolina earned an early break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead, but Paolini reeled off five consecutive games to win the first set 6-2. Svitolina won just 41% of her first service points and committed 13 unforced errors. Paolini won 71% of her first service points.
Svitolina broke serve and held her serve with an angles pass to open up a 3-1 lead. Paolini saved two set points in the penultimate game, but Svitolina served out the second set on her fourth set point.
Svitolina fired 13 winners and committed just three unforced errors in the third set. The three-time Grand Slam semifinalist converted all three break points with clean winners and saved two break points in the last game before sealing the win on her first match point with a backhand down the line.
Svitolina set up a fourth round match against Veronika Kudemertova, who beat Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-4 6-2 to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the third time in her career.
Svitolina reached three Grand Slam semifinals in her career following Wimbledon in 2019 and 2023 and at the US Open in 2019.
“I would not be so proud if I were to finish the match that way, so I was trying to put a lot of fight there and stay as long as I can. In so many different levels Ukrainians show the resilience. We are fighting for what is ours”, said Svitolina.