Paolini in the quarterfinals in Parma. Sakkari wins in front of Buffon

Jasmine Paolini qualified for the quarter-finals of the WTA 250 tournament in Parma, winning a comeback 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Italian derby with Elisabetta Cocciaretto. The 26-year-old from Tuscany, # 79 WTA, got the better of a match that lasted two hours and twenty minutes and tomorrow a place in the semifinals will be played with Montenegrin Danka Kovinic, # 78, who surprisingly eliminated Sloan Stephens. Maria Sakkari also arrives in the quarter-finals. Central of TC Parma was filled for the match of the Greek champion, who with the score of 3-6 6-2 6-3 won a contest of 2 hours and 36 minutes against Arantxa Rus.

There is also Buffon

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Two exceptional spectators attended the second round match of the WTA 250: Gianluigi Buffon and Nikolaos Sakkaris, Maria’s uncle who has lived in Italy for more than fifteen years and Greek Honorary Consul General in our country. Lauren Davis and Ana Bogdan advance, winning against Sara Sorribes Tormo and Anna Karolína Schmiedlova. “I have to get used to playing these hard-fought matches, but I’m really happy because I won a good match.” The words of Maria Sakkari, who after the debut fight against Baindl, was forced to another decisive set against Rus. Starting as number one in seeding, the athlete from Athens continues the hunt for the second title of his career in the major circuit, the only success in fact dates back to Rabat 2019. At the end of the game, the world number 7 also commented on the presence in the stands by Gianluigi Buffon, who came to support her after the meeting the previous day: “It was fantastic to meet him and it is wonderful that he came, I hope he had fun. Meeting these champions is always something that inspires us athletes, I thank the tournament for making this possible ”. In the quarter-finals it will be a challenge against a convincing Maryna Zanevska, who after passing Bronzetti, tamed Dalma Galfi 6-1 6-3.