{"id":504774,"date":"2026-02-28T07:17:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T07:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/504774\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T07:17:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T07:17:08","slug":"paolini-ends-boulters-winning-run-at-merida-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/504774\/","title":{"rendered":"Paolini ends Boulter’s winning run at Merida Open"},"content":{"rendered":"

Britain’s Katie Boulter was unable to build on a superb start as she lost to Italian top seed Jasmine Paolini in the last eight of the Merida Open.<\/p>\n

Against the world number seven in Mexico, Boulter won the first set in 28 minutes without dropping a game.<\/p>\n

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But errors started to creep in as Paolini went on to win 0-6 6-3 6-3.<\/p>\n

Having won only three points on her serve in the opening set, Paolini started the second set strongly, holding for the first time and then breaking to go 3-1 up.<\/p>\n

Boulter, who came into the contest on the back of a seven-match winning run, including claiming the Ostrava Open title<\/a>, broke straight back to love but neither player could hold serve in the next three games.<\/p>\n

It was Paolini who held her nerve to take the second set and level the contest.<\/p>\n

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The 2024 Wimbledon and French Open finalist raced into a 2-0 lead in the decider and, although Boulter broke back and held serve to lead 3-2, the Italian’s confidence grew as she won four games in a row to claim a semi-final spot.<\/p>\n

“It was a really tough one – Katie, the first set she was smashing every ball and hitting a winner everywhere,” Paolini told Sky Sports.<\/p>\n

“I was telling myself to play more deep in the court and hit the ball harder because I had to raise the level to try and win the match and in the end it worked out.<\/p>\n

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“I was trying to be calm, to think what I had to do. I think when you’re nervous you can’t find the solutions.”<\/p>\n

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