Italy’s Jasmine Paolini reached her first Wimbledon final with a stirring fightback to beat tearful Croatian Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) on Thursday in the longest women’s semi-final at the All England Club.

Paolini had never won a main draw match at Wimbledon before this year, but the World No. 7 tenaciously saw off Vekic in two hours and 51 minutes on Centre Court to secure a second successive Grand Slam final appearance.