Jasmine Paolini’s breakthrough is one of the best recent stories in Italian tennis. Standing just 5 ft 4 in, she defied the power-first trend of the modern game to reach both the Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals in 2024, climbed to a career-high World No. 4, and became a national figure. Alongside Sara Errani she also built one of the strongest doubles partnerships on tour, winning Olympic gold and a Grand Slam doubles title.
2026 has been a harder singles season, with one clear high point. After dropping out of the top 10 in May, she returned to Wimbledon as the 13th seed, lost the opening set of the tournament 6-0, and then won four straight matches — including a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Alexandra Eala on Centre Court — to reach the quarterfinals. That made her the first Italian woman to reach multiple Wimbledon quarterfinals. The profile is a proven multi-surface contender still working to recapture her 2024–25 singles consistency, and one of the best doubles players in the world.
Quick facts
- Full name: Jasmine Paolini
- Nationality: Italy (born Castelnuovo di Garfagnana; based in Bagni di Lucca)
- Born: January 4, 1996
- Height: 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
- Turned pro: 2015
- Plays: Right-handed, two-handed backhand
- Coach: Danilo Pizzorno (with Sara Errani joining the team in late 2025)
- Career titles: 3 singles (Portoroz 2021, Dubai 2024, Rome 2025) and 10 doubles
- Career-high ranking: World No. 4 (October 2024)
- Identity: Compact, high-energy all-courter with exceptional movement and ball-striking
Season snapshot — September 25, 2026
- Wimbledon: Quarterfinal as the No. 13 seed, her first major quarterfinal since the 2024 Wimbledon final; beat Robin Montgomery after losing the first set 6-0, then Viktorija Golubic, Maria Sakkari and Alexandra Eala, before losing to Marta Kostyuk 6-3, 6-2
- US Open: Third round, lost to Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-3
- Roland Garros: Early exit, lost to Solana Sierra
- Ranking context: Dropped out of the top 10 after Rome in May, ending a streak of more than 100 consecutive weeks inside it — a first for an Italian woman
- Doubles: Miami final with Errani in 2026
This snapshot is dated and will change. The career record elsewhere on this page does not.
Game overview
Paolini’s game is built on speed, energy, and clean hitting rather than size. She covers the court exceptionally well, takes the ball early off both wings, and competes with relentless positivity. That blend carried her to two major finals in a single 2024 season. Her 2026 Wimbledon run, in which she came back from a 6-0 opening set to win four straight matches, showed the template still works when her form comes together.
Playing style and strengths
Footwork and court coverage. Among the quickest on tour, she neutralizes bigger hitters with defense and retrieval.
Clean two-wing hitting. She strikes the ball early and flat, generating pace without the leverage of height.
Doubles excellence. An Olympic gold medalist and Grand Slam doubles champion with Errani, she is tactically sharp and comfortable at the net.
Pressure points and vulnerabilities
- Generating free points on serve given her height, especially against power players
- Singles consistency: a Wimbledon quarterfinal stands out in a season of early exits
- Margin against top hitters on faster surfaces
- Rebuilding her ranking from outside the top 10
Career milestones
- 2024: Dubai WTA 1000 title; finals at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon; Olympic doubles gold with Errani; career-high World No. 4
- 2024–2025: Billie Jean King Cup titles with Italy; back-to-back China Open doubles titles with Errani
- 2025: Rome WTA 1000 singles title and Cincinnati final; French Open doubles title with Errani
- 2026: Wimbledon quarterfinal, the first Italian woman to reach multiple quarterfinals there
Grand Slam record in context
Paolini’s singles major record is defined by her remarkable 2024, when she reached finals on clay and grass within weeks of each other. Her 2026 Wimbledon quarterfinal made her the fifth Italian woman in the Open Era to reach three or more Grand Slam singles quarterfinals, joining Sara Errani, Flavia Pennetta, Francesca Schiavone and Roberta Vinci. Outside that run, her 2026 majors — an early Paris exit and a third-round loss in New York — show how much work remains to get back to her best.
What to watch next
- The Asian swing — the last chances to rebuild her singles ranking before the season ends
- Beijing doubles — she and Errani have won the China Open doubles title in each of the past two years
- Singles consistency — turning her Wimbledon form into regular second-week runs
