Unlikely Wimbledon finalists Jasmine Paolini and Barbora Krejcikova vie for glory

The Wimbledon women's singles final between Italy's seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and 31st seeded Czech Barbora Krejcikova takes place at the All England Club this afternoon.

Few would have imagined a Wimbledon final between a player who until this summer had never won a match on grass and another 28-year-old for whom first-round defeats had been piling up with worrying regularity this season.

But Paolini and Krejcikova will indeed battle for the honour of holding aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish on Centre Court.

For those demanding the biggest names always contest Grand Slam finals, shock early exits for Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff and the withdrawal of Aryna Sabalenka were disappointing.

But for connoisseurs of tennis craft, rather than outright baseline power, Saturday's final could provide a feast as Krejcikova and Paolini meet for only the second time.

The diminutive Paolini endeared herself to crowds at the French Open by reaching the final, losing to Swiatek, and her sunshine tennis has provided a welcome distraction from the gloomy weather during the Wimbledon fortnight.

Until a run to the semi-finals at Eastbourne last month, Paolini's grasscourt record was appalling, with each of her three previous Wimbledon appearances ending in the first round.

But something has clicked in her imaginative game, full of angles and spins and speedy court coverage.

Croatia's Donna Vekic said before their epic semi-final that she had never seen anyone smile on court as much as Paolini, but beneath her charming exterior there is a street fighter spirit that has propelled her into the top 10.

Krejcikova is no stranger to the big stages having won the French Open in 2021 as well as seven Grand Slam doubles titles.

But a run of six defeats in