Jasmine Paolini (Italian pronunciation:[ʒaˈzminpaoˈliːni];[1] born 4 January 1996) is an Italian professional tennis player. She has career-high WTA rankings of No. 7 in singles, achieved on 10 June 2024, and No. 14 in doubles, achieved on 10 June 2024.
Paolini has won two singles and three doubles titles on the WTA Tour, including a WTA 1000 singles title at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships. She has also won two singles titles on the WTA Challenger Tour along with nine titles in singles and one doubles title on the ITF Circuit. She is the current Italian No. 1 female player.
She was introduced to tennis by her father and uncle at the age of five,[7] and trained at the Mirafiume Tennis Club in Bagni di Lucca in her youth.[4] At the age of 15, she moved to Tirrenia, outside of Pisa, for training.[6][8]
After reaching the final of the Tokyo Open in November 2019, Paolini broke into the top 100 of the WTA rankings, reaching a new career-high of world No. 96. She was the first Italian to reach the top 100 since Camila Giorgi in 2012.[30]
In 2020, Paolini was entered directly into the main draws of the Australian Open and the US Open, but failed to advance past the first round in either.[31][32] She recorded her first WTA 1000 level win at the Italian Open by defeating Anastasija Sevastova in the first round.[33] At the French Open, which was postponed to September due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Paolini recorded her first singles win at a Grand Slam by defeating Aliona Bolsova in the first round.[34][35] She also recorded her first doubles win at a major, partnering Varvara Gracheva, defeating Lyudmyla and Nadiia Kichenok in the first round.[36]
At the Melbourne Summer Set 1, Paolini and partner Sara Errani reached the doubles final, but lost to the second-seeded team of Asia Muhammad and Jessica Pegula. Following the Australian Open, Paolini entered the WTA top 50 for the first time.[50] She reached back-to-back third rounds at the Indian Wells Open, upsetting second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the second round for her first top-10 win.[51]
She qualified for the Cincinnati Open, where she reached the quarterfinals with wins over Marta Kostyuk and Cristina Bucșa,[63] and an early retirement by Elena Rybakina.[64] The following month, she reached the first WTA 1000 doubles semifinal of her career, partnered with Mayar Sherif, in Guadalajara.[65]
2024: WTA 1000 titles, French Open final in singles & doubles, world No. 7 & No. 14
At the Australian Open, she reached the fourth round of a major for the first time with wins over Diana Shnaider, Tatjana Maria, and Anna Blinkova,[74][75] before being beaten by first-time fourth rounder Anna Kalinskaya. Despite the loss, she reached a new career-high ranking of No. 24, marking her first time within the top 25.[76]
In Dubai, she reached her second quarterfinal at the WTA 1000 level, defeating eleventh seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, Leylah Fernandez[77] and eighth seed Maria Sakkari. She reached her first final at this level, following a withdrawal from fourth seed Elena Rybakina[78] and a win over Sorana Cîrstea. She won her first WTA 1000 title, defeating qualifier Anna Kalinskaya and avenging her Australian Open loss earlier in the season.[79][80] As a result, she moved into the top 15 of the rankings on 26 February 2024.[81]
At the Indian Wells Open, she reached the fourth round, defeating Tatjana Maria and 21st seed Anna Kalinskaya again, before losing to 28th seed Anastasia Potapova.[82][83] She reached a new career-high ranking of No. 13 after a quarterfinal appearance at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, where she defeated compatriot Sara Errani and seventh seed Ons Jabeur.[84][85] Following a fourth-round run in Madrid, she rose further to a career-high of No. 12.[86]
Partnering Sara Errani, she reached the doubles final at the Italian Open[87] and defeated the third-seeded team of Coco Gauff and Erin Routliffe to win her first WTA 1000 doubles title.[88] As a result, she reached the top 25 in doubles on 20 May 2024. Seeded 12th at the French Open, Paolini reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time with wins over Daria Saville, lucky loser Hailey Baptiste, former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, and Elina Avanesyan.[89][90] She then upset fourth seed Elena Rybakina for her first top-five win at a major,[91][92] and then defeated Mirra Andreeva to reach her first Grand Slam final.[93][94][95] She also reached the doubles final with Errani.[96]
Performance timelines
Key
W
F
SF
QF
#R
RR
Q#
P#
DNQ
A
Z#
PO
G
S
B
NMS
NTI
P
NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (P#) preliminary round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (Z#) Davis/Fed Cup Zonal Group (with number indication) or (PO) play-off; (G) gold, (S) silver or (B) bronze Olympic/Paralympic medal; (NMS) not a Masters tournament; (NTI) not a Tier I tournament; (P) postponed; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated at the conclusion of a tournament or when the player's participation has ended.
^ abThe first Premier 5 event of the year has switched back and forth between the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Qatar Ladies Open from 2009 until 2024. Dubai was classified as a Premier 5 event from 2009 to 2011 before being succeeded by Doha for the 2012–2014 period. In 2015, Dubai regained its Premier 5 status while Doha was demoted to Premier status. The Premier 5 tournaments were reclassified as WTA 1000 tournaments in 2021.
References
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^ abTrollope, Matt (26 February 2024). "Female new wave: Jasmine Paolini". Australian Open. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
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^ abNguyen, Courtney (13 March 2022). "Five things to know about Italy's Jasmine Paolini: 'I'm a lurker!'". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
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^"Jasmine Paolini [ITA] | Australian Open". ausopen.com.