Paolini suffers shock defeat to Maria at Eastbourne

LONDON: Italian top seed Jasmine Paolini suffered a shock 6-4, 6-3 defeat against Germany’s Tatjana Maria in the WTA event at Eastbourne on Tuesday.

Paolini is 98 places ahead of Maria in the rankings, but the world number 112’s experience on grass was decisive in the first round clash.

Paolini reached the Wimbledon and French Open finals in 2024.

However, Maria, 37, claimed her latest victory over a top-20 player, ruining the world number 14’s hopes of a morale-boosting run at the Wimbledon warm-up event.

“I was happy that we played on grass. She’s such a tough opponent, such a nice girl outside of the court. I see her every day and my kids love her so it was really a tough one playing a first round against each other,” Maria said.

“I didn’t start very well but I found myself back in the match and I’m really happy about this,” she added.

Former Eastbourne champion Madison Keys started her bid for a third title on the south coast with a 6-4, 6-4 first round win over Talia Gibson.

The American world number 28, who won her first ever WTA title at Eastbourne 12 years ago, said: “This was the first title I ever won so it’s always been a really special place for me.

“To be able to come back after all these years and continue playing a really high level still is incredible,” she added.

In the men’s event, Britain’s Giles Hussey shocked French Open semi-finalist Matteo Arnaldi with a 6-4, 6-2 win.

Italy’s Arnaldi suffered heartbreak in Paris recently when he was forced to pull out shortly before his clash with compatriot Flavio Cobolli because of sickness.

His return came on the rather less prestigious stage of Eastbourne, where 29-year-old Hussey also had to come through qualifying to earn his spot in the main draw.

All five of Hussey’s victories over top-100 players have come at Devonshire Park and he will next take on lucky loser Quentin Halys.

The Frenchman has taken the place of teenage Brazilian star Joao Fonseca, who announced his withdrawal earlier on Tuesday because of a shoulder problem.