A year or two ago, it would have seemed impossible for me to be in the final here," admits Paolini, who qualified for the Rome final

Jasmine Paolini secured her spot in the WTA 1000 Rome final this Thursday by defeating Peyton Stearns (7-5, 6-1).

The Italian, who broke through on the tour last year by reaching the finals of Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, reflected on her impressive progress:

"Today was a bit special because when I started the match, I was a little more nervous. By the end, I felt calmer. I’m happy to be in the final and hope to play a good match. The goal is to perform as well as possible, a bit more consistently than in recent days.

Last year was a year of discovery—I didn’t think I could reach this level, and I was surprised by what I achieved. This year is different. I’ve beaten players I used to struggle against, like Ostapenko, for example.

Compared to last year, I think the biggest difference is that I have more experience. I’m in the final at the Foro Italico. A year or two ago, that would have seemed impossible to me.