DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 18, 2025

Jasmine Paolini

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

J. PAOLINI/E. Lys

6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Jasmine, congrats. What a day.

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, long day. Long day. I'm happy that I got the win.

Was a really, really long day (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How many different ways did you picture that last point playing out over the last five hours?

JASMINE PAOLINI: You know, I was trying not to think too much about it. I was trying to just focus on the return and trying to put the return into the court, then let's play. It work.

But was tough because maybe I could finish the match earlier. I was 3-0 in the second set. Then again 5-4, I had my chance there maybe on 15-All. I remember one backhand, I miss one backhand.

But was a tough match. She's playing good. She played good in Australian Open, so for sure was a tough opponent.

But, you know, was a tough day and I'm happy how I managed to get the win.

Q. Did you know there would be rain today?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yes, but I didn't think that much, you know? Was not that much, but, I mean, every second was raining. Then we started, then we stopped. Then we started, and we stop again. Was tough.

I didn't know when the court was really ready. That's why at one point I said, Okay, I play just if I'm sure the court, it's ready. If not, then you are nervous to move on court, then you are not moving good, you are afraid to move, then your level it's going down.

I was like, Play, if you feel safe.

Q. You're going to be experiencing a few new things this year: going to tournaments as defending champion. How do you feel you've been navigating that so far? Has anything felt different to you?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, it's quite different. No, I mean, my goal is to do the same things every time. But sometimes you have to try to think good, to think what you have to do on court, not to think on the result. It's not easy, but you have to focus on that.

I came here without any expectation, just trying to play matches. Now I can say 'matches' because could be also one match.

But I happy how I played today, even if it was a tough match. But it's never easy to play a first round. She played already three matches. She's playing good, as I said.

The condition were tough. I'm happy with the win.

Q. Because of where you are now and everything you achieved, I'm sure you got a lot of cool opportunities to meet different people, different perks. If you can pick one or two things that happened to you as a result of your results last year that was one of your favorite moments, what would it be?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I don't know. Sometimes I got message on Instagram that people I was watching on the phone, you know? It's quite strange, but it happened.

Q. Like who?

JASMINE PAOLINI: No, like soccer players or singer. I don't know. I don't know now, but some of them, you know?

It's strange, but it's nice also to have some support from them. But I feel the same. As I said, to me it feels, like, strange.

Q. Today you saw the anniversary celebration. How do you feel about the event itself, the tournament itself in Dubai, you being defending champion?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I mean, it's great to be here, to be back here. The tournament I think from last year has improved. I saw many new things, you know? It's great. I love this tournament. I love this city.

Yeah, I'm just enjoying to be here. Nice weather. Not today, but usually (smiling). It's a nice tournament to play. Of course, is a special place for me, as well.

Q. What did you do in these five hours?

JASMINE PAOLINI: At the beginning I was in the player lounge because I was thinking that I'm going to play in one hour, one hour and a half. Then I said, no, go to the room, to the hotel room. I went back, showered, relax a little bit. Then I came back when the weather was getting better, then warm up again.

Yeah, easy things.

Q. When you say 'relax', what do you do?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Staying at the phone. It's not good, but... Yeah, it's better to read, but it's easier to be at the phone.

Q. I also want to ask you about the off-season. As a top player in the game, how did you approach that? Was there anything that you did differently this year?

JASMINE PAOLINI: In the season?

Q. In the off-season, November and December.

JASMINE PAOLINI: Not really because I didn't have so much time. Try to recovery my body. My body needed that recovery and I recover. I practiced a little bit, not that much. That's why after Australian Open I take a break again to practice. It's so important now to find some time to practice because last year was a really tough, tough season. But it's good to have a season like last year. It's a good problem to have, when you don't have time to practice.

At the same time now we have to find some times to practice, to improve and stay healthy mentally, physically. That's too important to stay at this level.

Q. Some players take supplements. Some don't at all. The science has advanced so much. For you, how much do you rely on supplements? Do you feel compared to when you started your career to now your physios are recommending you take more supplements?

JASMINE PAOLINI: When I was a girl, I wasn't using anything. Then if you play more and more, the intensity is going up, you have to take recovery or iso drink, I don't know the name, isotonic, something like. Or gels, I'm taking those kind of things.

Try to take the recovery when I finish. I forgot it now, but it's okay (smiling). I try to eat something as soon as possible. That's the goal, to try to stay ready as much as possible for the next day to recover as good as possible.

Q. Given how we're seeing there is some contamination...

JASMINE PAOLINI: That's scary.

Q. How scary?

JASMINE PAOLINI: That's very scary. We are traveling all the time. We don't know where the food is coming. Of course, we eat at the tournament, okay. But I feel like we cannot be safe 100% because we cannot have the control on what we are taking. Sometimes we eat at a buffet at the restaurant. You never know, you know? I think it's a really, yeah, scary situation, and you have to try to try to control as much as possible.

Yeah, for example, I open this bottle, I'm not sure if it's mine, I'm not going to drink. After the recent cases, it's getting more scary. I think many, all of us, we are paying more attention of it because it's really scary.

Q. What accounts do you follow on Instagram?

JASMINE PAOLINI: How many?

Q. Which ones? When you're on the phone during rain delays, what videos are you watching?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Uhm, I don't know. Like information, like news, but from Italy. Then maybe also something globally, like New York Times maybe. Sometimes I don't understand what they write (laughter). The English is too tough sometimes.

No, then some cooking pages, like influencer. Then some influencer of course from Italy. Yeah, normal things I think. Tennis, of course. I love to watch Tennis TV. It's amazing to me. Sometimes happening some crazy things. I really like it.

Of course, WTA videos, as well. I like to watch the Tennis Channel, as well, yes. I like those videos when we have the replays of the points, really nice points, interviews. So yeah, I follow tennis, of course.

Q. You said 'recovery'. How is it to play doubles and singles in the same tournament?

JASMINE PAOLINI: It's tough. I mean, it's not easy. It's not always like that. I mean, last week I played two matches in singles, then we won the doubles.

It's not every week that we win singles and doubles, we go deep in singles and doubles. Trying to play both, I like to play both. Of course, singles for me, it's singles. Of course, even doubles gave me so much emotions last year, so much yeah, emotions. Like gold medal was amazing. I'm really grateful.

At the moment I feel that I can play both, so I'm going to continue to play both. Maybe trying to do a good calendar with singles and doubles. But, yeah, at the moment I'm going to keep playing.

Q. We have seen you visiting all Dubai, experiencing the heritage of Dubai. Any other places in Dubai you would like to visit?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I want to go shopping (laughter). Yeah, but there's no time at the moment. Today was so traffic. I saw so much traffic from the window. Maybe because of the rain, I don't know. I think we are going to eat here.

But usually we go to Pizzeria da Michele, which is not only pizza. I'm not eating pizza every day. It's an Italian restaurant, really good. It is in City Walk. I mean, there are a few in Dubai. But the closest one is there.

I don't know. Depends of the schedule tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow we can go. Also maybe we can go to Dubai Mall to do some shopping (smiling).