PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 17, 2025

Jasmine Paolini

Press Conference

J. PAOLINI/J. Niemeier

6-1, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Jasmine, a really solid performance out there today. Just talk us through your thoughts on the match and what you were most pleased about.

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, I think it was a tough match. She was playing very well, especially in the second set with the serve and forehand. She has a big weapon, so I'm really happy about I won the match, and especially the second set, because it was getting tougher out there (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. How do you feel now, like this season, this year here in Stuttgart? Maybe, have you already checked out which car you would like to win?

JASMINE PAOLINI: We're still in the quarters, so we still have many matches (smiling). But I think all of them are really nice.

My favorite one maybe is the 911, because, you know, it's so fast, and the line, it's unbelievable. It's historic, I think, car, and I really love it.

But we have to stay focused on the quarterfinals (smiling).

Q. How does it feel twice to play against local players? Does it support you, as well, if you feel then that the Germans will like you, as well?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, it was nice out there. It's full of people, and this tournament, it's so nice. Of course they were supporting more my opponent, but, you know, I also had a fan club there full of child, and really, really happy about the people. They are also cheering for me, so I was happy about it.

But the atmosphere, it's great. The tournament, it's really nice.

Q. You're here with your new coach. How did you come to the idea? It's his first coaching job after Nadal, I think, where he was on his team?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, I think so.

Q. How did you come to the idea to take him? Did you know him?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Was, you know, just a casual? I don't know. Like a random idea. I don't know how to say.

Yeah, we are knowing each other. We are trying to speak a lot, because, you know, it's first tournament, first two matches that he's watching me live. I mean, it's not easy, because, you know, without matches, without watching matches, it's not easy.

But we are starting to know each other better and better every day, and I'm happy about the collaboration right now.

But, you know, let's see in the future. I don't know what to expect, but of course for now it's good. Everything is fine.

Q. We are at Eastertime, and tomorrow is a public holiday. It's not allowed here to have matches. So that's special. I think no matter if for religious reasons or any reasons, everyone has some days during the year he wants to be away from everyday life, enjoy that day and celebrate. Which days would that be for you? What do you do at these dates or days?

JASMINE PAOLINI: If I was home or tomorrow?

THE MODERATOR: If you were home, yeah.

JASMINE PAOLINI: I don't know. I think just spend it with my family or friends. Usually in Italy we say, you know, for Christmas, we stay with parents and family, and for Easter, we go with the friends (smiling). I don't know. Maybe to have a luncheon on the beach, because, you know, hopefully the weather, it's going to be nice. But those kind of things, like normal things.

Q. Back to the doubles, it was a very tight doubles match. Do you think you would have played better if you hadn't had a singles match before?

JASMINE PAOLINI: No, I think, you know, it helps to play the singles before the doubles, I think. But I think we started to play better too late maybe, because the first set was so fast, but then we managed to understand how we should play.

But, you know, it's every time with the match tiebreak, it's tough. We were up 8-4, and that was painful, because we lost 10-8. But they played well. But, you know, sometimes we were lucky that we managed to turn the match in the match tiebreak. Sometimes it's bad luck, you know. Just you have to accept that, and hopefully we're going to play better the next weeks.

Q. Now you're a top-20, top-10 player last year. What did change off the court? You have to do more stuff outside, like visiting Porsche museum, doing press, doing cover shootings. Is it something you like? What are the things you like?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yes, of course I like it. It's some different things. I repeating to myself that it's something good for me, because it means that into the court I'm doing something well. So, yeah, it's good to have some extra stuff to do outside the court because of that.

Q. You played with Sara. Recently Italian team won Billie Jean King Cup, and I would ask you, how is your relationship with other Italian players like during tournaments? Do you stay in touch a lot, or it's not so...

JASMINE PAOLINI: Well, with Italians, a lot. We are a big team. I mean, we enjoy to stay together. We enjoying playing the Billie Jean King Cup.

So I really, you know, like to be surrounded by good people enjoying also somehow the tournament. When we go out to dinner or with our physios from the Federation, we are a big family, you know.

With other players, yeah, I try, you know, to be kind, to make some jokes, and yeah, I think we have all of us, we have a good relationships.

Q. Maybe it's like special Italian spirit, or it's just Italians?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think we like to be together, go out to dinner together. To me, it's something great. Because you are surrounded by people that are doing the same thing. You are speaking about tennis. You are speaking about matches. I don't know.

But you're also having fun. So it's something great. Yeah, also with the guys, we were in Indian Wells playing Ping-Pong with them, and playing, I don't know, the one with the balls that you have to put in the, like this (demonstrating). I don't know the name. So we try to have fun together. I think it helps.

Q. It's clear you will face Coco Gauff the next round. Then maybe Sabalenka, Swiatek in the final if you reach it. But let's basically stay with the Coco Gauff thing. You know each other very well, you know what to expect from that match?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, we know each other. I practice with her a lot in the last I think six months. She's a really tough player. She can play really, really well.

Her ball is so powerful, I think. I don't know what to expect, but for sure, I need to try to be aggressive, to try to, you know, control the point.

But it's not going to be easy, because she's serving good, moving good, and returning good. She's basically very complete player to me.

So I have to play a good match to be into the match, to try to win some games, have to be focused, and I have to play aggressive and I have to be there every point.