Jasmine Paolini didn’t only make evident progress in her game but she also changed her mindset this year as the 28-year-old admitted that she used to fear in the past and that was one of the things that kept her being where she was for years.
As all of you probably know very well, the Italian has been the best story on the WTA Tour this season. In the last couple of seasons, she was mostly playing the main-level events – she would occasionally make an appearance at a WTA 125 tournament – but didn’t have much success apart from winning two WTA titles in 2021.
But after being viewed as nothing more than a solid WTA player, Paolini drastically improved this year and she is now a two-time Grand Slam finalist – a WTA 1000 winner – as well as a top-5 player in the world. Also, the current world No. 5 became an Olympic champion in Paris after she and Sara Errani won the gold medal in the women’s doubles event.
Since the Italian will be turning 29 in January, it can probably be stated that the game was always there. But the only thing that was preventing her from playing well consistently was her lack of confidence in herself.
“My mentality is a little bit different now. Before I was a little bit afraid to make the first round and now I’m coming to the tournament…
