Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 14, 2025 Italy's Jasmine Paolini celebrates after winning her first round match against China's Sijia Wei REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Jasmine Paolini eased through to the second round of the Australian Open with a dominant 6-0 6-4 win over Chinese qualifier Wei Sijia on Tuesday as the Italian savoured a return to the Grand Slam that launched her golden season last year.
The late-blooming Paolini was a revelation in 2024 as she made the French Open and Wimbledon finals, and qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals.
If that wasn't enough, she also won the women's doubles gold medal at the Paris Olympics partnered with Sara Errani and steered Italy to a fifth Billie Jean King Cup title in November.
Now the diminutive 29-year-old has eyes on a first Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park, where she reached the fourth round last year after having never previously won a main draw match at the tournament.
"Last year I came here, like, 'Please I want to win a match at this Slam," she told reporters with a laugh after beating Wei in little more than an hour at Margaret Court Arena.
"Then it happened so I was a little bit more relaxed.
"I love the tournament, I love the city and of course I love the people."
Paolini has plenty going for her in Melbourne where she has a kind draw and no prospect of playing a top 10 player until the quarter-finals.
Sixth seed Elena Rybakina would be the highest-ranked opponent before a possible semi-final against world number two Iga Swiatek.
Paolini's rise has coincided with Jannik Sinner's in the men's circuit, the pair propelling Italian tennis to new heights.
With world number one Sinner winning the Australian Open and U.S. Open last year, Italian fans were spoilt to have players to cheer in singles finals at all the Grand Slams in 2024.
She will meet Renata Zarazua from Mexico for a place in the third round.
Though Grand Slam debutant Wei offered little resistance in the first set, Paolini was given a proper work-out in the second by the 21-year-old.
Paolini had to raise her game to shake off Wei, breaking her in the fifth game with a forehand return winner.
Wei saved a match point at 5-3 but Paolini served it out in the next game, bolting forward to smash a cross-court forehand winner and soak up the cheers of a strong Italian contingent in the crowd.
"I feel very happy, of course," said Paolini.
"It's not always easy to play the first round ... I had a solid serve today.
"It's great to be back in Australia."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
