THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 7, 2024

Jasmine Paolini

Press Conference

J. PAOLINI/M. Keys

6-3, 6-7, 5-5 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Jasmine, probably not the way you wanted to get through to the quarterfinal, but...

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, I hope she recovery soon. I think we played a really good match. Of course, is not the easiest thing to end like this.

But I have to say that a part of me is happy to be here in the quarterfinal in Wimbledon.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said you hoped you become a crowd favorite. Now that you have also made your first Wimbledon quarterfinal, can we also say you're a grass court specialist now?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I don't know. I didn't win a WTA match in main draw since this year. I'm enjoying the grass. I hope also that people enjoying watch me play.

Yeah, that's a great combination I think. I'm enjoying grass. I don't know if now I'm grass court specialist because it's just one result. But I like it at the moment, yeah.

Q. Afterwards you called that match a roller coaster. Could you talk about what you were able to do in each of those last two sets to get back in the match.

JASMINE PAOLINI: I was trying to fight every point because you never know here on grass if you are up or if you are down, every match can I think turn, you know, turn around. I was, like, just be focus and try to win points, to play points by point.

Yeah, was a roller coaster because I think she's playing unbelievable. I was doing more mistakes, her level was going up. It's not easy to play against her because I think she's one of the best players in the world. Of course, she's hitting so fast.

I think, yeah, it's normal that was a roller coaster because the level was so high. If one of us was going a little bit down, the other one was going up, you know? That's why I think.

Q. What are the emotions, what are the feelings you're experiencing as you play and succeed at the most famous place to play tennis in the world?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, I'm feeling good, of course. Yeah, I think it's a dream to play on these kind of courts in Wimbledon, winning some matches. I'm enjoying. As I said, I'm enjoying a lot.

I want to enjoy also the next match. Yeah, it feels great.

Q. Yesterday we talked to Iga Swiatek and she admitted she made a mistake because she didn't rest enough after clay season. You played long in Paris, but you still playing some matches on the grass. What about your physical and mental condition because you didn't have time to rest. What is the best solution how to adapt to new surface?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I tried to rest a little bit after Paris. I went to Eastbourne a little bit earlier to try to adapt on grass because I think it's completely another surface.

With my coach, we thought that the best solution was to play just Eastbourne, to have time to recover, but also to try to have one more week, maybe some matches before Wimbledon.

Yeah, I think it worked for me. Yeah, it worked good. That was our decision. But every person, every player's different, so yeah.

Q. Looking at your season as a whole, 40 matches, 28 victories. Are you having a pinch-me moment or whether you're completely full of self-belief that this is happening for you?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I didn't get it, sorry.

Q. Are you having a pinch-me moment?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I don't know.

Q. That you can't believe it or are you full of self-belief?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, a part of me, I didn't really not believing, but I'm saying it's a dream to be here. It's a little bit also strange to be in this position because I never been in this position. I always thought it would be great to be in this position. Now I'm here winning more matches this year.

It feels great. I'm enjoying, as I said. It's important to me to enjoy every moment because, as I said, it's a dream. It's also I think a privilege to play those kind of matches in those courts, yeah.

Q. Your next round you could possibly have either Gauff or Emma Navarro. You haven't beaten them yet.

JASMINE PAOLINI: (Laughter.)

Q. Sorry. How do you feel to have to play them on this surface?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Never won against them, so it's going to be tough.

I think every match is different. I'm going to step on court trying to play my game, to try to beat one of them. But it's not going to be easy because I think both of them are playing unbelievable.

Coco, it's an unbelievable player. She won a Grand Slams, many tournaments. Emma, she play tennis in a special way. She has so fast hand. I love how she play tennis. It's going to be tough.

But I'm here to be ready, to try to do match with them, to try to do a good performance.

Q. Emma Raducanu faced some heat for withdrawing from the mixed doubles. Has abuse on social media gotten worse for you in recent years and does it make it more difficult to engage authentically with your fans?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I didn't get. Sorry.

Q. On social media generally, do you find that you receive abuse from tennis fans? Do you think it makes it more difficult to put your personality out there?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Of course, if you win more matches, you are more exposed, no? But it's tough to say. I mean, it's good to be more exposed, but I think also can hurt you a little bit.

You have to find a balance to show yourself because you have to do it. We are in the position that we have to share ourself, and it's nice. But also, too, I think it's important to keep your little bit of privacy and to have around the people that loves you. Yeah, that I think it's really important, yeah.

Q. To get to this point where you are now, you're 28, taken a long time relatively to some players. Did you always believe that you would be at this level or did you have doubts along the way?

JASMINE PAOLINI: That's a difficult question. I was believing maybe that I could play better than I was doing. Honestly, at this level, I don't know, maybe not. This consistency that I had this year, no. I thought maybe, okay, one result I'm going to do good, but not like this. Maybe not. I have to be honest.