Swiatek and Paolini Set for Semifinal Showdown in Bad Homburg Open

BAD HOMBURG, Germany — No. 4 seed Iga Swiatek will attempt to reach the first grass-court final of her career at the Bad Homburg Open, facing off against No. 2 seed Jasmine Paolini. This semifinal matchup marks the fifth meeting between the two players and is a rematch of the 2024 Roland Garros title match.

In the quarterfinals, Paolini defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia 7-5, 7-5, while Swiatek overcame No. 8 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova with a close score of 6-4, 7-6(5) on the Spielbank Bad Homburg Centre Court. “Today, it was all about adjusting to the conditions, because it was super windy for most of the match,” Swiatek said. “We both tried to do what we can — on the one hand, be intense, but on the other hand play it safe.”

Swiatek, who leads the head-to-head against Paolini 4-0, recognizes the challenge ahead, especially as this will be their first encounter on grass. “I already lost against her, so I knew she could make amazing tennis,” Swiatek remarked. The conditions played a crucial role in the match against Alexandrova, where both players struggled to maintain service early on but tightened up later.

Paolini improved her record against Haddad Maia to 4-0 overall, having previously faced tough matches against her. This week, she bounced back impressively after an opening-round loss in Berlin. “I just love these small tournaments,” Swiatek said after confirming her second semifinal appearance at this event. “It feels like we’re one big family just enjoying tennis.”

As both players prepare for their semifinal clash, the question remains: can Swiatek maintain her perfect record against Paolini?