AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 10, 2025

Jasmine Paolini

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Jasmine, welcome to Melbourne. How has your preparation been so far?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Good. It's great to be back. I love to be in Australia. This is a very nice city. I'm happy to be here.

Yeah, I'm practicing. So I'm feeling good. You never know in the matches (laughter).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In general with respect to your form coming into this tournament, obviously you had those really clean matches at United Cup, then a tough matchup obviously against Karolina. Level-wise and confidence in your game, how are you feeling?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I'm feeling great. As I said before, every match, it's tough. I have to I think step on court and trying to be calm, relaxed, and try to be focused on what I have to do on court.

I practice well here. Also I think with practice with top players. It's nice to share the court with them and to prepare the match with them.

I really enjoy this week of practice. Still, like, two, three days to come. We try to keep pushing (smiling).

Q. You made such great strides last year. Going into this off-season, it wasn't very long, but were there certain things where you thought now I've gotten really high, but I still need to be better? What did you try to work on to get better?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, for sure, the off-season, I tried the first thing to recover a little bit 'cause I played many matches. The season was long.

With my coach, we try every tournament or after the tournament try to improve and practice between tournaments as well because the season is long. We try to improve serve, the percentage, the precision and other things that I'm not going to say because the serve, I mean, everyone knows (laughter).

Yeah, so the case is this.

Q. What is your mindset like going into the first Grand Slam of the year? Obviously last season was a breakout season for you. What are your thoughts, feelings going into this Grand Slam?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I try to keep the expectation low because I think it's not good for myself to put too much pressure on me. One of my main focus, it's always to enjoying being on court, enjoying playing matches, playing the match. Also with my coach, we speak a lot about it. When I step on court, I'm enjoying playing. I'm more I think also focused and more calm, I think I can play better. Actually I feel also better, so I can perform better.

That's one of the goal for the next match, for sure. Yeah, but I don't want to have too many expectation, to compare this year that is coming with the last year because doesn't make sense to me. So yeah...

Q. Obviously a lot has changed in terms of your ranking and results over the past 12, 18 months. How much has life changed for you? Maybe the off-season was a time to notice that. Do you get recognized more walking down the street? Is it easier to get a restaurant reservation?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Sometimes, yes (laughter).

No, I mean, I'm enjoying. It's nice to feel the love of the people. Yeah, especially in Italy now, tennis is growing a lot. People are a lot focus on tennis. It's something great for us as a players.

Yeah, just enjoying that. Of course, it change a little bit from one year ago, but that's positive.

Q. What does success at this tournament look like? What would you say your biggest strengths are against the field?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I mean, for me what will be a good result?

Q. Yes.

JASMINE PAOLINI: I don't know. I don't know. I don't want even to ask myself this. As I said before, I want to keep the expectation low because it's not good to me to think, oh, I would love to do this.

I'm trying to play a good tournament. You never know. For me, to keep the expectation low, I think it's the best way to come to the match, the first match.

I trying to think like that.

Q. And your strengths, what do you see them as?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think last year I did a good year. I have many experience in big matches, as well. I hope it's helping me also with the first round, which is the match that I'm sure that I'm going to play.

Yeah, I think also that to know that last year I played really well can help me to play a tough match. I have more matches in my pocket, in my belt, on my belt. How is the English?

THE MODERATOR: Under your belt.

JASMINE PAOLINI: Under my belt. Is English lesson (laughter).

No, so I try to keep in mind the matches of the last year that can help me in the next ones in this year, yeah.

Q. You had your breakout season last year after turning 28 years old. What do you think allowed you to break through and make your mark on the WTA Tour later on in your career?

JASMINE PAOLINI: What help me to do a good season?

Q. Yes.

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think I grew up as a player, but also as a person I think I'm more mature. I believe more in myself than, like, three, four years ago.

I'm asking myself sometimes why I couldn't play better when I was, for example, 23, 24. But I don't know. I'm answering myself that maybe I need more time to believe I could play at this level, to improve. Yeah, probably I didn't believe that much in myself when I was stepping on court.

For me, maybe whether I was 22 or 23 to qualify for a slam was something too big to do it. I think that changed a little bit in the last few years. It helped me to do better results, yeah.

Q. Aryna is going for a third title here. From having played her, what is the thing that's most difficult? What separates her?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I didn't get that.

Q. You're playing Sabalenka. What makes that such a tough proposition?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, I think she's serving so well. Also returning. She's hitting the ball so strong. I practice with her two days ago. Actually I like to practice with her. We always have fun. It's a good practice to me.

Yeah, I think the way she's serving the first and the second serve, as well, it's amazing. I think she's playing good. She's confident. Also she's playing good important points.

I remember the match in the WTA Finals, she was playing better than me the important points. So, yeah, I think she's an amazing player.

Yeah, I think the key of her strength is the serve, for sure, the power of the shots she has.