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THE FACTS
What is this tournament classed as in terms of ranking points? WTA 1000
When is Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea on and what time does it start? Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea will take place on Friday 23rd February, 2024 – not before 13:00 (UK)
Where is Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea taking place? Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea will take place at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre in Dubai, UAE
What surface is Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea being played on? Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea
What channel is Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea on in the UK? Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea will be televised live on Sky Sports in the UK
Where can I stream Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea in the UK? Sky Sports subscribers can stream Jasmine Paolini vs Sorana Cirstea live on Sky Go
THE PREDICTION
33-year-old Sorana Cirstea set a career-high WTA world ranking of 21st way back in 2011 and, after several seasons of renaissance form, she is one win away from breaking it 13 years later. The Romanian came back from a set down to beat a resurgent Marketa Vondrousova on Thursday, fight back to win for the second time on the spin, and this is now a momentous opportunity – perhaps the biggest match of her long career – against fellow surprise semi-finalist Jasmine Paolini. 28-year-old Paolini is through to the semi-finals of a Masters tournament for the first time after Elena Rybakina was forced op withdraw ahead of their match on Thursday but she has earned her place here with three brilliant upsets over Beatriz Haddad-Maia, Leylah Fernandez and Maria Sakkari.
The Italian will set a career-high WTA world ranking of 22nd no matter the outcome here but she could usurp Cirstea into the top 20 with victory here to add an extra layer of pressure on what should prove a thriller. Furthermore, Paolini leads Cirstea 2-0 from two three-set battles, most recently last season at Roland-Garros, and there is a touch of fate about this fixture considering the Italian won her maiden WTA title at the Slovenia Open in 2021 via a quarter-final victory in their first meeting. The match is on Cirstea’s racket but there is a strong chance that the pressure will tell against Paolini, who is a renowned scrapper capable of weathering storms. Back Cirstea to earn at least a set to leave the victor up to chance.
TIP: SORANA CIRSTEA TO WIN A SET