From a set and 4-1 down, Ito saves match point to stun Paolini in Montreal

Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito drew Jasmine Paolini into her web of forehand slices and unpredictable shot selection to pull off a comeback from match point down in the Omnium Banque Nationale second round, posting her first career Top 10 win.

With an unorthodox repertoire unlike any other player on the Hologic WTA Tour, Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito pulled off the biggest upset of the Omnium Banque Nationale so far, knocking out No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) in 2 hours and 27 minutes. The World No. 110 had trailed by a set and 4-1, and saved one match point down 5-4 in the second set.

Montreal: Draws | Scores | Order of play

Having announced herself by reaching the Osaka semifinals on home soil in her WTA debut last October, Ito backed that up with her first WTA 125 title in Canberra to start 2025 and broke into the Top 100 in May. However, she had not won a tour-level match this season until her first-round win over Katie Volynets this week -- also her first victory in a WTA 1000 main draw.

In an interview with wtatennis.com at the end of 2024, Ito declared: "I don't care at all whether I play like everyone else or not." Her web of forehand slices, often casually swiped with her feet planted on the ground, bore this out, as well as her unpredictable shot selection and shifts between deliberately slow strokes and injections of flat pace.

Ito shows off full repertoire in Montreal for first WTA 1000 win

But for a set-and-a-half, Ito seemed destined to exit her first match against a Top 30 opponent as a memorable curiosity. The 21-year-old delighted the crowd with intermittent flashes of oddball brilliance -- but Paolini was in firm control, putting away smash after smash with panache. But with the finishing line in sight, errors began to creep into the two-time major finalist's game. At 5-4, she made her way to match point -- and for a split second, both players thought the Italian had won courtesy of a double fault. Ito paused, but the call never came. She reacted quickly enough to get back into the rally, and Paolini put a forehand wide.

For all Ito's nonchalant air and frequent bouts of laughter on court, her third-set performance came down to real grit. It featured eight breaks of serve in 12 regular games; Ito led 3-1 and served for the match at 6-5, only for Paolini to storm back each time. In the tiebreak, just as in the main set, neither player could shake off the other. On match point, Ito had one last flash of unexpected creativity up her sleeve: a SABR reminiscent of Roger Federer, a bold charge to the net off the return and a putaway volley.

Paolini, who had been so firm in dealing with Ito's game style in the first set, will rue her tally of 67 unforced errors -- an unwanted record of the most committed in a tour-level match this year so far. In the third set, the two-time major finalist oscillated between excellent attacking tennis and mistakes born from over-pressing in her bid to hit through It's offbeat game.

Aoi Ito's best 5 points in her career-best win

5. Down 4-1, deuce in the first set, Ito lulled Paolini into a slow tempo with her slice, drew her into net with a switch-up to a short, flat forehand and then sped across court to nail a backhand pass down the line.

4. At 5-5, 30-0 in the second set, Ito pressed home her momentum following her match-point save with a pinpoint lob and emphatic forehand putaway.

3. Ito broke for 3-1 in the third set with a rally that featured a backhand redirection that almost left her on the floor and multiple forehand slices, and ended with a sneak drift into net to swat away a volley winner.

2. Down 5-4 in the third set, Ito foiled Paolini's net approach with a marvellous angled forehand pass at full stretch.

1. The match point SABR, naturally -- the bravest of ways for Ito to hit through her nerves and take the point into her own hands for a career-best win.

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