Really smooth debut for Jasmine Paolini in the WTA 1000 in Madrid. The Tuscan dominated against the very young Andorran Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, prevailing with a peremptory 6-1 6-0. Now Italy’s number one will have to deal with the French Caroline Garcia in a truly complicated round of 16.
The two players faced each other twice at the end of 2023 and also at the beginning of 2024. Last year Paolini beat the Frenchwoman in the Zhengzhou tournament in a comeback with a score of 3-6 6-4 7-5. A few weeks later the Tuscan repeated herself in the beautiful BJK Cup match, winning 7-6 5-7 6-4 after over two and a half hours of play. The Frenchwoman, however, won the match at the beginning of the year in the United Cup 6-4 5-7 6-4.
Today’s victory has already given Paolini the chance to reach his best ranking, since she brought herself in twelfth position. To further climb the rankings the Italian would have to go at least as far as the semi-final, even if first she would have to beat the Czech Marketa Vondrousova and then also the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.
Even a participation in the final of the Madrid tournament it would allow the Italian to push herself into the top ten for the first time in her career, while with a victory he would rise to eighth place. Furthermore, we must not forget the Race for the WTA Finals, with Paolini who is collecting a lot of points and can dream of fighting for a place among the best eight at the end of the season.
JASMINE PAOLINI WTA RANKING
WTA ranking with possible eighth in Madrid: 12th with 3048 points
WTA ranking with possible fourth in Madrid: 12th with 3143 points
WTA ranking with the possible semifinal in Madrid: possible 11th with 3,318 points.
WTA ranking with the possible final in Madrid: possible 10th with 3,578 points.
WTA ranking with possible victory in Madrid: possible 8th with 3,928 points.
