Jasmine Paolini’s remarkable year: From world No. 4 to record-breaking prize money

The incredible year of Jasmine Paolini is not only reflected in her ranking as world No. 4, but also in a remarkable record in the growth of her prize money compared to her previous 11 years of career.

The Italian secured her first WTA 1000 title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2024 against Anna Kalinskaya and won the gold medal in Paris 2024 alongside her regular partner, Sara Errani. She also surprised with her appearances in the finals of Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

A stellar season propels Paolini to new heights

The 28-year-old player had great consistency this year, with a record of 37-15 (18-4 in Grand Slam tournaments), allowing her to rise from world No. 31 to No. 4 and secure her qualification for the WTA Finals. Additionally, her impressive year in doubles with Sara Errani resulted in four titles (including two WTA 1000s) and a French Open final appearance.

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WTA Finals Riyadh: Jasmine Paolini stuns an erratic Elena Rybakina with straight sets victory

At the Finals, Paolini debuted with a victory over 5th seed Elena Rybakina, winning 7-6(5), 6-4, and in doubles, alongside Errani, they defeated American pair Desirae Krawczyk and Caroline Dolehide, further increasing her prize money.

“It’s amazing, I’m really happy with the win today,” said Paolini after beating Rybakina. “Elena was playing amazing and it’s always so tough to play with her. I’m happy to stay in this match and win my first match here at the WTA Finals,” she said. “I served well. I’m happy with how I managed to start on the points and I think I played a really solid match.”

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Tournament Centre WTA Finals Riyadh 2024: Schedule, all results, Prize Money, Draw and TV Guide

At the start of the season, Paolini had a total prize money of $2,649,189 over her seven years as a professional. In 2024 alone, she has already earned $5,030,798, nearly double what she had at the beginning of the season (a 189% increase) and without considering the WTA Finals.

In Riyadh, she has already secured $685,000 in singles and another $105,000 in doubles after debuting with victories in both categories. In the worst-case scenario, if Paolini does not achieve any further wins, she would leave with a total of $790,000, which could increase significantly depending on her results. Her successes in singles and doubles guarantee her $5,820,798 in earnings for 2024, achieving more than double what she has earned in the rest of her career.