Italy’s Jasmine Paolini continued her outstanding 2024 season with a round-robin win over Elena Rybakina in straight sets (7-6, 6-4) at the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Paolini, 28, has won 38 singles matches in 2024; her previous highest win count was 24. She was a finalist in back-to-back Grand Slams at the French Open and Wimbledon.
Feet on the gas 💨@JasminePaolini continues her incredible 2024 season with a win over Rybakina in consecutive sets!#WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/etVKuQ4IiB
— wta (@WTA) November 2, 2024
Her doubles career was equally stellar this year, partnering with compatriot Sara Errani as French Open finalists and Olympic doubles champions. Jasmine Paolini is the only player in the women’s draw participating in both singles and doubles play at the WTA Finals.
One of the coolest doubles stories at @WTAFinalsRiyadh…
37-year-old Sara Errani first qualified for the WTA Finals over a decade ago w/ former partner, Roberta Vinci, in 2012-2014. 10 years later, she’s back in her 4th WTA Finals w/ another Italian partner, Jasmine Paolini.
— Hanlon Walsh (@HanlonWalsh) October 31, 2024
Elena Rybakina is rusty
Elena Rybakina has not played tennis since the US Open when she withdrew before her third-round match due to injury. Rybakina withdrew from eight 2024 tournaments because of illness and injury. She recently announced that she will begin work in the offseason with new coach Goran Ivanisevic.
She was not her usual in-form self. Many unforced errors and occasional shaky serving were symptomatic of minimal match play. In the meantime, the 5’4″ Paolini kept her form as Rybakina could not capitalize on repeated break chances.
Jasmine Paolini’s perseverance is amazing
Jasmine Paolini’s game is a statement of perseverance. Her height is a disadvantage against most top-ranked players who are 5’10” or more. She makes up for the height disparity with grit. Paolini runs down balls and stays in long rallies. She also has a tremendous net game from her doubles play.
Paolini and Aryna Sabalenka won Day 1 round robin matches in the four-person purple group including Qinwen Zheng and Rybakina.
Jasmine Paolini does not get a day off like her cohorts in the purple group who do not take the court again until Monday. She and Errani play their first doubles round-robin match on Sunday against the American team of Desirae Krawczyk and Caroline Dolehide.
WTA Finals Day 2
On Sunday, the orange group takes center stage with singles matches between defending champion and World No. 2 Iga Swiatek and Barbora Krejcikova and the all-American clash between friends and former doubles partners World No. 3 Coco Gauff and World No. 6 Jessica Pegula.
