DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 22, 2024

Jasmine Paolini

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Who would like to start with questions today?

Q. Congratulations on making the semifinals.

JASMINE PAOLINI: Thank you.

Q. When did you find out about Elena's withdrawal? What did you do after you found out? Did you go to practice?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I'm going to go to practice right away after the press.

Yeah, I was eating. My coach came to me and he said that he spoke with the coach of Rybakina and she's going to withdraw.

It's something strange. Of course I'm happy, but I hope Elena recovery as fast as possible.

It's my first semifinal in a WTA 1000. It's hard not to be happy (smiling).

Q. What does it mean to you to get a result like this, whether it's about your tennis, whether it's about points, prize money? What is the significance of making a semifinal at the 1000s?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think it gives me some confidence, as well, because I think, okay, today she retired, but I played great three matches here with Haddad-Maia, Fernandez and Sakkari. We know they are all strong players.

I'm happy because I started well this season in Melbourne. But we keep working. We keep trying to improve and to stay focused on the process of, yeah, improve.

Q. What do you do to prepare for a tennis match?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I usually go to the gym. I warm up physically. I go on court. I warm up like 30 minutes. I try all my shots, forehand, backhand, volleys. If I have time and if it's time to eat, I eat. If not, I'm trying to focus, yeah. Change my grips on the racquet, then just go on court, yeah.

Q. What advice do you have for me to be a pro tennis player like you?

JASMINE PAOLINI: The first advice, it's always to enjoy, to have fun, and don't think about too much on be a pro tennis player. Just enjoy and live the present, yeah, and dream.

Q. You'll face either Vondrousova or Cirstea. If it is Marketa - she's a very tricky opponent - what makes her difficult and what is the key for you to get the win?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I remember last time I practice with Marketa was in Chicago like two or three years ago, and she was playing unbelievable. Of course, yeah, she's a great player. She won Wimbledon last year, so a Grand Slam champion.

It's going to be tough. Marketa or Sorana, it's going to be tough of course. If Marketa wins, I think I'm going to watch the match of today on WTA TV. I didn't practice a lot with her. I practiced that time in Chicago, but then I don't remember.

Yeah, maybe I know better how Sorana is playing because I play with her more times, yeah. But we see. I'm trying to focus on my game, to try to do what the best for me.

Q. She's a very tricky player. She plays like kind of nobody else. On top of that, she's left-handed.

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yes.

Q. When you think about that as a matchup, is there something that pops to your mind that you say you need to be specifically very good about this when you play her?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think I have to be very solid with her and try to play deep. If she's starting to move the ball, I'm going to run a lot. She can do also dropshot, volley, slice serve.

I think the key, it's going to be consistency but also to be aggressive, to don't let her move too much the ball and try to push me out of the court, yeah.