Paolini Advances to Rome Round of 16: "Playing on Center Court Makes Me More Nervous Than Usual"
Jasmine Paolini was one of the few top seeds to hold her ground in the lower half of the Rome tournament this Saturday. The draw opened up significantly with early exits from Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, and Madison Keys in the third round, creating an opportunity for the Italian.
Ranked No. 5 in the world, Paolini, who had defeated Lulu Sun in her opening match, confirmed her form with a win over Ons Jabeur (6-4, 6-3). In their second meeting of the season, the two-time Grand Slam finalist got the better of the Tunisian, weeks after Jabeur retired against Paolini in Dubai.
Following her victory over Jabeur, which secured her a spot in the Round of 16 in Rome for the first time in her career, the Castelnuovo di Garfagnana native shared her thoughts.
"It was a match with a lot of ups and downs, but I’m happy to have won and to play on center court. It’s not easy playing there because it makes me more nervous than usual. I love the crowd—the people are really warm with us.
Ons (Jabeur) is an incredible player and person, and she’s not easy to handle. She plays a lot of slices and drop shots. In the second set, I had many chances, and in the end, I managed to break her. I tried to vary my game a lot.
I’m happy to be in the Round of 16 for the first time in Rome, but I’m already looking forward to the next match. It’ll be a tough one against Ostapenko. I hope to do better than in our past meetings and find the key to beating her.
I absolutely have to play with depth and maintain a high first-serve percentage. I’m glad I’ve already played two matches here and adjusted to the conditions," Paolini told *Tennis World Italia*.
