French Open 2025: Elina Svitolina 'cannot believe' remarkable round-of-16 comeback victory over Jasmine Paolini at Roland-Garros

Elina Svitolina pulled off a remarkable comeback to beat Jasmine Paolini and qualify for the French Open quarter-finals. Paolini had raced into a 6-4 4-1 lead, only for the Ukrainian 13th seed to rally, save three match points and claim the second set via a tie-break. Svitolina went on to win the third set 6-1 to seal her place in a 13th Grand Slam quarter-final.

Svitolina 'can't believe it' after stunning Paolini in big upset

Video credit: TNT Sports

Elina Svitolina admitted she could not "believe" she managed to pull off a remarkable comeback to beat Jasmine Paolini in their French Open round-of-16 match.

Fourth seed Paolini, who arrived in Paris having won the singles and doubles events in Rome, raced into a 6-4 4-1 lead on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

However, Svitolina rallied to save three match points, before clinching a tie-break 8-6. The Ukrainian 13th seed then completed the comeback, winning the final set 6-1 to seal her place in a 13th Grand Slam quarter-final.

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"I still cannot believe that this match finished my way," Svitolina said in her on-court interview. "I feel my head is still in the match and a big battle.

"It was a really difficult match today. Jasmine was playing really well and it was really tough for me. I’m happy I could stay composed and fight to the very last point and, in the end, here I am, in the next round."

She continued: "I had to be aggressive. I had to stay really focused on my gameplan and take the really small opportunities to win the second set.

"Just two points decided the second set. It was extremely tough but in the end I’m very pleased I could win that second set, and in the third, play really well to close out the match."

Experts 'can't quite believe' Svitolina's shock comeback victory over Paolini

Video credit: TNT Sports

Keothavong: 'Never write off Elina Svitolina'

TNT Sports pundit Anne Keothavong labelled Svitolina as a fighter who should never be written off after her comeback victory over Paolini.

Keothavong said: "One should never write off Elina Svitolina. What a fighter she is.

"But it’s hard not to feel for Jasmine Paolini. That match was really in her hands. A set and 5-3 up, serving for the match, three match points she had in that second set.

"When a player loses from that position it really is hard not to feel for them. For Svitolina, she’s through to the quarter-finals here once again. Maybe it’s an omen? We saw [Iga] Swiatek win last year having saved match points against Naomi Osaka in the second round.

Highlights: Huge shock as Svitolina sinks Paolini after saving match points

Video credit: TNT Sports

"And after that she just went from strength to strength. Could it be Svitolina?"

Tim Henman added: "It’s just her resilience, her competitive spirit even when she was down and you felt Paolini [would win].

"We were all in the studio ready to go, but Svitolina kept fighting and even in that tie-break, she had a big lead, Paolini came back. You just didn’t quite know what to expect.

"Once Svitolina got that second set you just felt she had massive momentum. The belief faded from Paolini and then Svitolina was able to run away with a third."

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