JASMINE PAOLINI faces mission virtually impossible when she takes on world number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek in the French Open final on Saturday.

While few would have bet against Swiatek reaching a third successive Paris final, Italian Paolini’s emergence from the other side of the draw was a huge surprise.

The 28-year-old had never even been past the second round at a grand slam until this year, and her 6-2 4-6 6-4 win over fourth seed Elena Rybakina in the quarter-final was one of the shocks of the tournament.