By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Saturday, July 13, 2024
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport

Wimbledon—Grass-court tennis was once a sink hole for Jasmine Paolini. 

The charismatic Italian turned Wimbledon's lawn into a passion platform. 

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Barbora Krejcikova ended Paolini's inspired Wimbledon run with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 triumph in today's Wimbledon final to raise the Rosewater Dish for the first time. 

Wearing a smile so wide it seemed to stretch all the way to Southfield Station, Paolini ended this gritty run with a graceful exit. Paolini put a hand over her heart and gave an extended wave to Centre Court fans as her support box, including her parents, stood in salute.  

The 28-year-old Paolini made history as the first Italian woman to reach the Wimbledon final in the Open Era and the first Italian player to contest major finals at two different Grand Slams.

Though Paolini didn't realize her dream, she succeeded sharing the joy.

It's a bittersweet end for Paolini, who is delighted with her performance powering into back-to-back Slam finals—the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to play in the French Open and Wimbledon finals—but disappointed with the final defeat.

Meeting the media afterward, Paolini, who had never won a main-draw grass-court match in her entire career until last month—said she's trying to put it all in perspective after a painful loss.

"I have still to, I think, realize that I did final in Wimbledon. It's an amazing thing," Paolini said. "Of course, now I'm a little bit disappointed. Yeah, as I said, it's been an incredible year. Yeah, I'm enjoying. I hope to continue like that with this level of tennis. I'm going to try to work to keep this focus, this level.

"Yeah, I don't know. I'm just I think enjoying these kind of results that I did. But today it's tough because I'm disappointed a little bit, but it's okay."

Ultimately, the 2021 Roland Garros singles and doubles champion Krejcikova served with more command at the beginning and end of this final and applied more weapons throughout. Krejcikova won 10 of the first 11 points in the match and explored all areas of the box on serve.

Krejcikova won 17 of 21 points played on her serve in the first set and 21 of 34 service points in the final set, pumping five of six aces in the decider.



Despite the defeat, Paolini rises to a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the live rankings and though she aspires to win a maiden major, the French Open finalist concedes she's scared to dream too big.

That's because Paolini wants to sustain her current lofty level of play.

"Sometimes I'm a little bit scared to dream too much. I have to say that," Paolini said. "I don't know. I'm going back, trying to practice, to stay in the present, as I said many times. This is the goal for me, my team, to try to keep this level as much as possible.

"If I keep this level, I think I can have the chance to do great things. But if I'm not keeping this level, it's not coming anything good."

The woman whose infectious smile and fighting spirit made her a favorite of Centre Court fans was still smiling in her post-match presser.

"I don't know what to dream right now. Today I was dreaming to hold the trophy, but didn't went well," Paolini said. "Yeah, I'm just enjoying the position where I am right now, 5 in the world. It's unbelievable, honestly. I just did two finals in two Grand Slams. I have to be also happy with the results. Also a little bit disappointed, yeah."