Solana Sierra had one of the most important days of her career this Wednesday by reaching the third round of Roland Garros for the first time after defeating the Italian Jasmine Paolini (13th), one of the main favorites of the tournament and finalist of the 2025 edition. The player from Mar del Plata, currently No. 68 in the WTA ranking, staged a remarkable comeback at the Suzanne Lenglen stadium, ultimately winning 3-6, 6-4, and 6-3 in a match filled with tension, rhythm changes, and emotional moments.
After her great victory in the debut against the British Emma Raducanu in the first round, Sierra surprised again in Paris, this time against a much more formidable opponent on the circuit. Paolini, who until a few weeks ago was in the Top 10 of the women's ranking and reached No. 4 at her best, came in as a clear candidate but ended up succumbing to the intensity and character of the Argentine.
Sierra defeated the Italian Paoli and advanced to the third round of the Roland Garros.
The start of the match was favorable for the Italian, who controlled the pace of the first set and used her experience to take the initial set 6-3. In fact, at the beginning of the second set, she seemed to be on track to win when she achieved a quick break and went ahead 2-0.
However, that’s when the best version of Sierra appeared. The Argentine raised her level from the back of the court, began to find depth with her forehand, and displayed a mental strength that completely changed the course of the match. With a remarkable recovery, she took the second set 6-4.
The psychological blow was evident, and the player from Mar del Plata came out determined for the final set. She quickly took a lead of 3-0 and put Paolini on the ropes, who even had to call for medical assistance due to discomfort in one of her ankles and broke down in tears during the treatment. Although the Italian tried to respond and managed to reduce the deficit, Sierra refocused on her game and closed out the match with authority to seal the most important victory of her career.
After her great victory, the player from Mar del Plata expressed her happiness with her performance: "I feel incredible. She is a great player who did very well. I am very happy, I love this tournament and being able to move forward". She also highlighted her mentality when she was trailing: "I tried to stay positive, to enjoy the match and the atmosphere. The first thing I tried was to stay on the court longer and now I am very happy to have won".
With this historic qualification, Sierra continues to solidify her growth on the circuit and has become the only Argentine representative in the women's main draw of Roland Garros. In search of a place in the round of 16, she will now face the RomanianSorana Cîrstea, another player ranked among the best in the world (18th).
