MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 25, 2025

Jasmine Paolini

Press Conference

J. PAOLINI/M. Linette

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Jasmine, congratulations. How does it feel to be through to the semifinals here for the first time?

JASMINE PAOLINI: It feels great. Of course I'm really happy. Today was a really good match, and yeah, just enjoyed being on the court and I'm happy with the result that I had.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You got the revenge today. I'm looking at the big stat. The other day 12 of 15 breakpoints saved. Today 7 of 8. What are you doing to hold your serve so well?

JASMINE PAOLINI: You know, sometimes I was 30-Love up, and then I was 30-40 down, you know. Just trying to try to save the breakpoints. It's really important that fast court and trying to serve better on the important points, but sometimes I have to be more consistent when I'm up on the serve.

Q. It was like Rio de Janeiro the other day, but today it was like Little Italy. In the same time, you had Berrettini --

JASMINE PAOLINI: He won?

Q. -- you and Musetti all on the same time playing. Berrettini is serving for the match right now. Musetti had a rough night. Sinner is not even here. Ten guys in the top. Talk about how great Italian tennis, why you think it's doing so well. Sara Errani may be a factor.

JASMINE PAOLINI: I don't know. I think Jannik, it help a lot. He help us a lot. We have the World No. 1. It's amazing for Italy.

Tennis is growing up I think a lot. I think we are believing more that we can do big result because you see other players, you know, doing. The guy, you know, so it's really nice. We are a big team.

Was nice, because in the warmup, we were warming up, me, Lorenzo, and Matteo was around there. So it's nice (smiling). Many Italians.

We were joking. I mean, we are, like, 30 maybe, 30 Italians. I don't know. 30, maybe not, but close to there.

It really feels amazing. You know, yeah, just amazing.

Q. There's a good Italian restaurant not far away from here.

JASMINE PAOLINI: Everywhere here there are Italian restaurants. (Smiling.)

Q. How are you feeling overall with your season so far and your level of play and confidence? Because you looked pretty confident out there.

JASMINE PAOLINI: You know, I think I didn't play bad this season, but I didn't have a great result, you know, but I was there. I lost many matches but to big, you know, opponents.

You know, was tough, but at the same time I was repeating to myself that, you know, I'm there. You know, maybe I need just a little bit more of confidence. It came here maybe.

Yeah, of course winning matches helps a lot. You know, I'm happy that I made the semifinal here.

Q. Magda apparently didn't really play that well today. Do you feel it was more her not playing well and you playing really good? Did the rain delay affect any of you?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think today the conditions were different. I played at 11:00, all the three matches. So today was so humid and late, like, 5:30, 6:00, so I felt like the balls were really big and heavy.

But I was trying, you know, to just hit the ball and trying to not too many mistakes. Just stay there. It work. I don't know. I mean, she was playing good, for sure, yesterday. Today to me was tougher conditions and different.

Yesterday was so fast and sunny and different completely.

Q. Is that when you hung out with all the Italians, during the four-hour rain delay, when you guys were all together?

JASMINE PAOLINI: No, I met them, but I was trying to sleep a little bit (smiling). But, you know, of course it's great to meet them.

I met Lorenzo this morning, because he was warming up on center court. Me too, because I was supposed to play there. I asked him where was Ludovico, his son. His son is unbelievable. He's so nice.

Q. Lastly, Sabalenka, talk about the matchup.

JASMINE PAOLINI: I mean, we don't know who is going to win. Both of them are really great players. Tough opponents to play against.

But, you know, we are in the semifinals, so it's nice to play those kinds of matches. I feel lucky to play these kind of matches.

I hope I am going to do a good performance out there and hope that I'm going to enjoy also the match, because for me it's important.

Q. This is a question I have asked to many players. When you hit the backhand, two-handed backhand, do you feel like you are hitting with your left hand mainly or more like a right hand, like, kind of like...

JASMINE PAOLINI: Me, I'm not good with the one-handed backhand, so probably more with the left one. But not sure. I think I'm fairly balanced with both. Many players more left, many right.

Me, I'm not sure about it. We have to ask my coach. (Laughter.)