Rome, May 8: Defending champion Jasmine Paolini faced a tough challenge in her opening match at the Italian Open, defeating qualifier Liolia Jinjin 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 to secure her place in the third round. The exciting match lasted for 2 hours and 55 minutes.
The ninth-seeded Italian star had a mixed performance in front of her home crowd, hitting 54 winners but also committing 57 unforced errors. The match was a rollercoaster, leaving spectators both thrilled and disappointed as they hoped to see their top-ranked player advance.
In a post-match press conference, Paolini admitted, “I was a bit nervous. There were many ups and downs. She played a great match. It was a tough contest, but I’m happy I held on and managed to come back after the first difficult set.”
Paolini attempted to take control early, breaking Jinjin’s serve three times in the first set and serving for the set at 5-3. However, the French qualifier quickly countered each time, not allowing the reigning champion to find her rhythm.
Utilizing her sharp backhand winners and excellent touch at the net, Paolini also made some errors. Failing to maintain her momentum in the tiebreak proved costly, as Jinjin showcased aggressive play to take the first set.
Despite the ups and downs, Paolini’s tenacity ultimately proved decisive. The match featured several long and ‘multi-deuce’ exchanges, with the Italian player seizing crucial moments. After gaining a lead in the second set, she achieved a significant breakthrough in the decisive set at 4-3, following a grueling ‘seven-deuce’ game on Jinjin’s serve. Paolini will face 21st seed Elise Mertens in the next round.