Jasmine Paolini – Final Press Conference – 2024 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

THE MODERATOR: Who would like to start with questions for our champion.

Q. Down a break in that second and third set, what were you telling yourself? How did you pull off the comeback?

JASMINE PAOLINI: It’s all the week that I lose the first game. Just Tuesday I won the first game serving. I was just try to play every point. I was telling me just play every point, just enjoy, like fight every point.

Here it’s not easy to do many points with the serve. Especially in the night, the ball is more heavy. It’s very humid.

Yeah, I’m really happy how I managed to come back. It’s unbelievable. I don’t know. I’m just so happy (smiling).

Q. I think you also beat her when you won your first title.

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yes, yes. But I lost with her in Australian Open. I knew was tough. She was playing really, really well. Honestly, I don’t know how I managed to win the match because she was playing too good at the beginning. I tried to play maybe more on the backhand, tried to push more, to be also more relaxed, to try to take the ball earlier because if not, she was moving so much me. I was running a lot.

But the key I think was to believe that even if I was down, I could turn the match.

Q. You said on court you’re proud of yourself. What are you most proud of? Is it the caliber of players you were able to beat? Coming back in matches?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think I’m proud of all the work I made this year. It’s not easy to bring this work on the match sometimes. Yeah, I’m playing good tennis. I played well at the end of the last season. I started well the season with second week in Australian Open. Maybe I knew there I could do something more with Anna. She was playing unbelievable, as well. Maybe I was just too emotional in that time.

Now I try to be more relaxed on court, to try to think more what I have to do, to be more present every point. Yeah, I think it work.

It’s not going to be every week like this, of course, but I’m trying to do my best. I’m proud of this, yeah.

Q. You are the third Italian to win a WTA 1000: Flavia, Camila and now you. What do you think of that achievement, to be in that very exclusive club?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I don’t know. I have to realize a little bit, I think.

No, it’s unbelievable. I don’t know what to say. I have to realize, I think. Yeah, it’s special to have this trophy in my hands. Was such a great tournament. Every player was here. Yeah, was really, really tough draw. I’m just happy.

Yeah, I have to realize and that’s it (smiling).

Q. You’re 28 years old. Some people can go and win a 1000 early in their career. You worked hard for it, waited for it. Is there more appreciation now compared if you had won a big title when you were 20?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I don’t know. I think every person has her own steps, story. I need some more time to believe maybe that I could play at this level how I did this week. It’s not going to be like this I know every week. It’s tough. It’s the best players in the world.

But I’m here enjoying my tennis, enjoying the matches on court. I’m just loving what I do, just trying to live the present, to stay there, to make the best I could do in that moment.

Yeah, I’m really, really happy. I don’t know what to say anymore (smiling).

Q. You mentioned on court about Patricia. Are you close to that team?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, Patricia, she’s really nice. She speaks a little bit Italian. She’s friend with my coach. She’s really friendly person I think. She’s speaking with everybody. I think one of the nicest person on tour as a coach.

Yeah, we have a good relationship with them. We meet also in the Australian Open. I’m happy for them with the result they had this year. I hope she’s going to win more matches because she’s playing really, really good, really good level.

Yeah, they are really nice people.

Q. It’s not very easy to come back after being a set down in the final. Was there a turning point when…

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think maybe the key game was when I was down 2-0 in the second set. I was serving. I said, C’mon, you have to try to play every point, you have to try to do something. Just think about simple things. Try to serve more maybe on the backhand, some more speed on the serve, try to move the ball.

I was just thinking about easy stuff to do on court. It worked pretty well. Then I start again bad in the third set.

I have to say at the end of the match maybe she missed some balls that she never missed all the match. It’s tough. Tennis is tough mentally. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I’m happy that this time I was able to win.

Q. She’s had a long tournament, played a few extra matches than you. She appeared to be tiring. Did you sense that?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I don’t know. I think she’s very good physically. She’s moving really well. She was moving really fast.

Of course, was a tight match, was a tough match. For me, that I didn’t play quallies… Every person I think and every match has a own story. I don’t know, we have to ask her. She seems to feel good physically because she was playing unbelievable the first set, but also the rest of the match.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports