Paolini still on cloud nine after his excellent season: "I was trying to be aware of the moments I was living through".

Jasmine Paolini has had an exceptional year. The 28-year-old Italian player really came into her own when she won her first Masters 1000 in Dubai against Kalinskaya.

This was followed by her first two Grand Slam finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

These performances enabled her to reach the 4ᵉ position in the world and compete in the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Paolini looked back on her season and the match that has marked her since January.

"I was trying to be aware of the moments I was living. Personally, I've always watched Wimbledon on television.

Reaching the final seemed a very distant reality. When I managed to get to the final, I tried to make the most of it.

I'd seen Serena Williams, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Sharapova win this tournament. Being there had a big impact on me. It still doesn't feel very real, to be honest," she assures us.

One match in particular stands out for her: "It was against Emma Navarro, a very strong player.

I really like the way she plays. I was very nervous before the match, having lost three times to her between last year and this season.

As far as I'm concerned, it was a perfect match (Paolini won 6-2, 6-1), one in which there were very few errors.

I had a lot of fun and did things I'd perhaps never done before: slices, counter-attacks and volleyed serves," concludes Paolini.