A Rare and Challenging Feat
Reaching any Grand Slam final is a significant achievement for any tennis player, but reaching two in the same year is extraordinary. However, only six women have had the bittersweet experience of finishing as the runner-up in both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year. Two of these women have even experienced this twice.
The Six Women with Back-to-Back Runner-Up Finishes
Evonne Goolagong – 1972
Evonne Goolagong became the first woman in the Open Era to finish as the runner-up at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year.
- Roland Garros: Goolagong, the top seed, lost to Billie Jean King 6-3, 6-3.
- Wimbledon: King again defeated Goolagong in the final.
In addition to these, she also finished as the runner-up at the Australian Open that year.
Chris Evert – 1973 and 1984
Chris Evert, a tennis legend with 18 Grand Slam titles, finished as the runner-up at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in two different years.
- 1973: Evert lost to Margaret Court in the Roland Garros final and then to Billie Jean King in the Wimbledon final.
- 1984: She lost both finals to Martina Navratilova and also finished as the runner-up at the US Open, though she won the Australian Open.
Olga Morozova – 1974
Olga Morozova reached her only two Grand Slam finals in 1974 and finished as the runner-up in both.
- Roland Garros: Lost to Chris Evert 6–1, 6–2.
- Wimbledon: Lost to Evert again, 6–0, 6–4.
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario – 1995 and 1996
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario had a particularly tough period, finishing as the runner-up in both tournaments for two consecutive years.
- 1995: Lost to Steffi Graf in both the Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals, having already been the runner-up at the Australian Open.
- 1996: Again lost to Graf in both finals.
Venus Williams – 2002
Venus Williams had an incredible run in the early 2000s, but 2002 saw her finishing as the runner-up in both the French Open and Wimbledon.
- Roland Garros: Lost to her sister Serena Williams in straight sets.
- Wimbledon: Also lost to Serena, who beat Venus in four consecutive Grand Slam finals, including the US Open and the 2003 Australian Open.
Jasmine Paolini – 2024
Jasmine Paolini joined this exclusive club in 2024, marking more than two decades since the last occurrence.
- Roland Garros: Lost to defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets.
- Wimbledon: Lost to Barbora Krejcikova in a hard-fought final, 2–6, 6–2, 4–6.
Conclusion
Joining the ranks of these remarkable women, Jasmine Paolini's back-to-back Grand Slam runner-up finishes in 2024 highlight her resilience and talent. While falling just short of victory twice in a row can be disheartening, the achievement of reaching two major finals in such a short span is commendable and places her among the elite in tennis history.