"I really don’t think she’s lacking anything" - Former US Open champion on Jasmine Paolini's odds of winning a Grand Slam singles title

Tuesday, 14 October 2025 at 06:30

Italian superstar Jasmine Paolini has proven she belongs with the very best on the WTA tour, and retired compatriot Flavia Pennetta believes the former World No.4 has what it takes to finally capture her maiden Grand Slam singles title.

Having established herself as one of the best doubles players in the world, Paolini cemented her status by winning the 2025 French Open doubles title alongside veteran countrywoman Sara Errani. The duo also won the gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games last year.

Paolini has also proven her mettle in singles competition. After making her breakthrough last year when she won her first WTA 1000 title in Dubai, Paolini would go on to reach two consecutive Grand Slam finals, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Although Paolini would fall on both occasions, the 29-year old has remained a staple in the top 10 as she rose to a career high ranking of World No.4. Additionally, she was formidable when representing her country, leading Italy to back-to-back Billie Jean King Cup titles in 2024 and 2025.

Pennetta can see her countrywoman winning a singles Grand Slam title

The retired WTA star was the last Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, defeating compatriot Roberta Vinci in the final of the 2015 US Open. The former World No.6 believes Paolini has all the tools to win a major title, with her variety and consistency being two huge weapons in the diminutive star's possession.

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"Nothing, I don’t think she’s really lacking anything,” said Pennetta in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. “She has a very, very broad quality of play and she really has many alternative plans when maybe she’s having an off day compared to other players who are just one-track minded.
"Let’s say she has a speed in her shots, in her movement, her feet go at 2000 so I really don’t think she’s lacking anything to be able to win a Grand Slam event."

Paolini has produced strong results at WTA 1000 events this season, winning the Italian Open in front of her home fans before finishing runner-up at the Cincinnati Open. However, she has failed to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam in 2025, with her best result being a fourth round showing at Roland Garros.

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Arthur Ajayi

Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.

As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.

With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.

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