Paolini's coach comes to his player's rescue: "Tennis is a perpetual work in progress".

Jasmine Paolini is having a colossal 2024 season. After winning the title in Dubai in February, the Italian has just reached the final of the French Open and Wimbledon.

Although beaten each time, she continues to impress and is now ranked 5th in the world.

When asked about her loss to Krejcikova in the Wimbledon final, her coach, Renzo Furlan, was keen to put the situation into perspective: "I help Jasmine channel her exuberant energy. The relationship works because Paolini is a quality and talented player. She's made a lot of progress defensively and offensively, but she still has a lot of room for improvement.

Tennis is a perpetual work in progress: the important thing is to leave the court with the certainty of having given it your all. It reminds me of Pat Rafter's defeat by Goran Ivanisevic in the 2001 Wimbledon final. Both deserved to win, both died on the court.

Yet Rafter went to the net and shook Ivanisevic's hand, a smile on his face. If I were him, I'd have eaten my racquet! The moral is, if you've given 100%, be happy. That's the true spirit of sport and of the champion. That's what I told Jasmine after the final."