London witnessed a stunning upset as Ekaterinburg's tennis pro outplayed the world number five.
In a stunning upset at the International Wimbledon Tennis Tournament in London, Kamilla Rakhimova, a 23-year-old Russian player from Yekaterinburg, defeated the No. 4 seed Jasmine Paolini in the second round. This marked Rakhimova's first-ever victory against a top-10 player, taking the match in three sets: 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Rakhimova, who stands 170 cm tall and plays right-handed, has had an impressive career thus far, with a win rate of around 40%. Although she has yet to win a singles title, she has earned approximately $2.39 million in prize money across WTA events. This win over Paolini significantly boosted her earnings, adding £53,000 for the second-round win, bringing her total earnings at this event to £152,000. If she wins her next match, she stands to earn an additional £88,000, summing to £240,000 at Wimbledon alone.
This victory came amid a tournament marked by early exits of many seeded players, making Rakhimova’s run one of the key storylines of Wimbledon 2025. In fact, eight top-10 seeds have been eliminated in the first round, a first in the history of Grand Slams since 1968.
Before Wimbledon 2025, Rakhimova had never advanced beyond the first round at this tournament. This win marks a breakthrough performance for her, allowing her to progress to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time. In her career, she has won three WTA doubles titles, but this singles win against a top-10 player is undoubtedly her biggest achievement to date.
Rakhimova will compete in the women's doubles with her Czech partner Anna Siskova on July 3. As for her next singles match, she will face the 20-year-old Czech player Linda Noskova, who is ranked 27th in the world.
On social media, Rakhimova expressed her happiness after the win, thanking her supporters. This victory could change the trajectory of her career, marking a significant milestone in her journey as a professional tennis player.
[1] Wimbledon Official Website [2] WTA Tennis Official Website [3] Forbes [4] BBC Sports
Rakhimova continues her impressive run in sports, particularly tennis, appearing in her first-ever singles match against a top-10 player, Linda Noskova, in the third round of Wimbledon 2025 following her victory against Jasmine Paolini. Limited by her past performances, Rakhimova's win against a top-seeded player signifies a new chapter in her professional tennis career.
