As if nothing had happened, she went on her merry way. While Jannik Sinner, future world number 1, monopolized the attention of all of Italy, Jasmine Paolini followed suit to end up doing better. Because if her famous compatriot narrowly failed in the semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz, she will be there in the ladies’ final on Saturday against the scarecrow Iga Swiatek. The surprise is as big as the Italian is small (1.63 m). A mini-format increasingly rare in women’s tennis, which did not prevent her from taking out a giant of the caliber of Elena Rybakina (1.84 m) in the quarter-final.
Paolini only discovered the second week of a Major in Australia this year. This shows that seeing her play for a Grand Slam trophy has something surreal, especially in a context where the hierarchy is more and more strongly established. “I dreamed of being a professional player, but I never dreamed of being world number 1 or Grand Slam champion. I never dreamed so big. Never. Perhaps I never dreamed of being in the Top 10 either, but I hoped without really believing it. I think that little by little, I started to believe in it, and to dream of more accessible things.“, she confided at a press conference after her victory in the semi-final.
Jasmine Paolini celebrates after a point as she plays against Russia’s Mirra Andreeva during their women’s singles semi final match on Court Philippe-Chatrier on day twelve of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros
Credit: Getty Images
Saved by the double and… Errani before Roland
This lack of self-confidence and even ambition is probably what held her back for a long time. “I think it’s not so positive, because it’s important to dreamshe emphasized. For me, it’s surprising to see interviews with Nole as a child who said he wanted to be world number 1 and win Wimbledon. I didn’t dream of this when I was a child. It’s incredible to see Jannik when he was 15 years old saying that his dream was to be number 1. I never dreamed of being in the Grand Slam final and here I am. I’m not the same type of person.”
Jasmine Paolini doesn’t come out of nowhere though. In recent months, her progress has been constant because she stopped having complexes before even entering the court. At the end of last season, the Italian with the explosive forehand reached the top 30 places in the world for the first time in her career. And since January, it has continued with the same dynamic. In addition to her round of 16 in Australia, in February she won the first WTA 1000 of her career on hard court in Dubai, her second title on the circuit, beating a member of the Top 10, Maria Sakkari. And in April on the clay court of Stuttgart, she had already caused problems for Rybakina before the latter won the tournament.
But it must be admitted that she did not approach this Roland-Garros in the best conditions since she had lost at the start in Rome a month ago against Mayar Sherif, then 80th in the world. So what is his secret? “Mayar is really tough to play on dirt, and the conditions in Rome late at night weren’t the best for me. I accepted it and focused on the double we won. I think staying in the tournament like this gave me positive vibes. But you know, it can happen in tennis. Every week is different and a new challenge. There are only a few players who can confirm week after week. It’s amazing what the best, like Iga, Nole and Jannik, do“, she explained.
In the purest tradition of Italian surprises
The doubles therefore kept her afloat, just like her partner, a certain Sara Errani, the last Italian to have reached a final at Roland-Garros in 2012 (beaten by Maria Sharapova). It is not impossible to see a certain sign in this, especially since the person concerned attends all of Paolini’s matches in his box and gives him the wise advice of a player who has gone through the same emotions. They also together validated their ticket for the doubles final on Sunday. The adventure is therefore very collective.
Inspired by other compatriots with destinies as brilliant as they are surprising – Francesca Schiavone crowned in 2010 when she was seeded 17 at Roland-Garros or Flavia Penetta titled at the 2015 US Open as seeded 26 to 33 years –, Paolini still has difficulty believing in his star. “When I was younger, I watched other Italian women go to the final and win Grand Slams. But imagining that I could do it was hardshe remembered again. Of course I hoped so but it’s crazy to me. I am very happy. Also surprised. I don’t know. It seems impossible, but it’s true.”
As in a dream, one that they didn’t even dare to have, Paolini continues to let herself be carried away, a dazzling smile on her lips. And finally why not replay the myth of David against Goliath on Saturday? It seems impossible, but it could be true.
