'I wasn't expecting honestly to win this match': Iga Swiatek’s honest take after beating Jasmine Paolini to reach first grass final

Iga Swiatek was elated after defeating Jasmine Paolini in the Bad Homburg Open semifinals, a match she admitted she didn't expect to win. The five-time Grand Slam champion swept past Paolini in the semifinals, advancing to her first-ever final on grass courts.

The world No. 1 is having a remarkable week, which she could crown with a title – a potential boost after a complicated year. Swiatek snapped a six-match losing streak in semifinals, doing so at an exceptionally high level against the 2024 Wimbledon finalist.

"I wasn't expecting honestly to win this match," Swiatek confessed after her 6-1, 6-3 victory this Friday afternoon. "I'm just happy that I did my job. I knew what I wanted to play and I just go for it, and I'm happy that I kept the momentum going until the end of the game, because she’s a fighter, you know?"

The Polish star maintains an impeccable 5-0 head-to-head record against Paolini, including their 2024 Roland Garros final, where Swiatek last secured a title. However, this was their first encounter on grass courts.

Regarding the surface change, the former world No. 1 acknowledged that she adjusted her game plan to challenge Paolini effectively. "The tactics are different on every surface, so I don't know, but I think we're both pretty intense. I kind of understand how she wants to play because I also have a big topspin with my forehand and I like to step in with my backhand," she explained.

"I guess we kind of get each other’s game and try to use it and for sure I knew that she might go to the net today, but I tried not to let her do that. I just kept her on the baseline and that’s where I wanted to lead, so I’m happy that I did that."

Swiatek has advanced to the Bad Homburg Open final, where she awaits the winner of the second semifinal between Jessica Pegula and Linda Noskova.