Jasmine Paolini navigated 22 deuces, multiple rain delays and a mid-match court change to defeat Magdalena Frech in the Australian Open second round. The No. 7 seed's 6-2, 6-3 scoreline came after 1 hour and 47 minutes of playing time in what proved to be a surprisingly grueling battle despite the straightforward final score.
The first lengthy off-court rain delay occurred when Paolini was up 4-1 in the first set, and a second delay came as she faced double break point in the first game of the second set. Following the latter, play resumed on the vacant John Cain Arena with its handy roof, forcing both players to adjust mid-match. The Italian only wrapped up a gruelling day's work at quarter to midnight local time, making for an exhausting night at Melbourne Park.
The real challenge wasn't the weather—it was how tightly contested every game became. Over half of those games went to deuce, with 22 deuce points spread over nine games. Despite the close battles, Paolini won eight of those deuce games while staving off a total of 15 game points across those eight, and saved 11 out of 14 break points against her. When it mattered most, the Italian's experience shined through—she broke Frech from 5-3 in the second set with her best point of the match, a drop shot-backhand pass combination that had the crowd's late-night remnants in raptures.
The 2026 Australian Open is being held at Melbourne Park, from 18 January to 1 February 2026, with total prize money increased by 16% year on year to a tournament record A$111,500,000. Paolini now advances to face Iva Jovic in the third round, keeping her path toward a potential deep run intact.