Late bloomer Jasmine Paolini confesses what didn’t allow her to be successful in the past

Not only did Jasmine Paolini make significant progress in her game, but she also changed her mindset this year as the 28-year-old admitted that she had been scared in the past and that was one of the things keeping her where she was. for years.

As you all probably know very well, the Italian has been the best story on the WTA Tour this season. In recent seasons, she has mainly played the main events (she has occasionally appeared at a WTA 125 tournament) but has not had much success, apart from winning two WTA titles in 2021.

But after being seen as nothing more than a solid WTA player, Paolini improved dramatically this year and is now a two-time Grand Slam finalist – a WTA 1000 winner – and a top-5 player in the world. The current world number 5 also became Olympic champion in Paris after she and Sara Errani won the gold medal in the women’s doubles.

Considering the Italian turns 29 in January, it’s probably fair to say the game has always been there. But the only thing that kept her from playing consistently well was her lack of confidence in herself.

“My mentality is a little different now. I used to be a bit afraid of making it to the first round and now I come to the tournament thinking: I can make it to the first round without any problems. But I’m going to fight to do more. It’s a bit of a different mentality. Before, I was really afraid of losing again in the first round. If it comes, it comes – it can happen. But great things can also happen,” Paolini told The National.

Earlier this year, she also admitted that in the past she thought none of this was possible for her.

Paolini explains what helped her take herself to a new level

Last year, the 29-year-old began playing doubles with compatriot Sara Errani, a 2012 French Open finalist and former world number 5 singles. And in three tournaments they played together last year, they won a title and reached the semi-finals twice.

Looking back on it all, Paolini says she benefited from being around the 37-year-old, who was once one of the best singles players in the world.

“I think I started playing better at the end of last year and I think doubles helped me a lot. Talking to her every day has helped me enormously. She’s done great things, had a great career and she’s very smart on the court. So I was able to ask for advice on the court, also talking to her, training with her, helped me understand the game better and what’s happening on the court better. I would say the tactical part of the game is the most I try to learn from her. I think she loves tennis more than anyone on tour; she really likes this game. Tactically, she helped me the most,” the 2024 French Open and Wimbledon runner-up explained.

How would Paolini want people to look and think of her?

Besides her play and dreamy 2024 season, a big reason why fans love the 28-year-old so much is the fact that she always looks so positive and cheerful on the field. Throughout the year, she has made new fans all over the world – and that is not surprising – as she is also a charismatic person.

For example, after she won a competition a few months ago, an interviewer told Paolini that she was someone with a big heart. The Italian – who is 163cm tall – joked that she must have a big heart because she was ‘so small’.

And now she just wants people to remember her as someone who wanted to be a positive influence.

“I hope people enjoy watching me play, that they think I’m a good person, that I’m a positive example. I think they want me to laugh and I try to do it, that’s me, I laugh a lot. I really like that my smile reaches people. I think I got it from my mother, who also laughs a lot. I think I got it from my parents, to understand that I am in a fortunate position and that there is nothing to complain about. Just to try to always see the glass as half full and not half empty,” she said.

Meanwhile, Paolini had a bye in the first round in Beijing as the third seed and will start her campaign at the WTA 1000 tournament by taking on Clara Tauson.