"My coach used to tell me that I could play well on grass, but I didn't believe him."

Fernando Murciego | 10 Jul 2024 | 08.30

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First Italian in history to reach the semifinals of Wimbledon in singles. Just for this reason alone, it is worth talking about Jasmine Paolini, a woman who is living a dream this season. After finishing as runner-up in Roland Garros, the 28-year-old faced this grass-court swing with no expectations, a surface where she had never won a match. And what happened? Semifinals in Eastbourne and, so far, the same result at Wimbledon. An incredible story for the girl with the eternal smile, happier than ever after defeating Emma Navarro yesterday and reaching the penultimate round of the draw.

Happy with her latest victory

"I feel great, I think I played a really good match today, without errors, practically a perfect match. I had worked a lot on what I needed to develop today on the court, for some reason everything worked wonderfully, without any mistakes. I tried to hit the ball hard; otherwise, she would control the point. I feel phenomenal, very happy to be in the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time."

Rivalry with Emma Navarro

"It's always tough to play against her, especially mentally it usually costs me a lot. I love how she plays, that's the truth; in the last three matches we played, I had real problems. I kept telling myself that it was just a coincidence, that today would be a different match, on a different surface, so I just tried to be more aggressive. I think I played a very, very good match."

Her relationship with grass

"Maybe I hadn't realized before, but my coach had always said that I had the qualities to play well here, although I didn't believe him much. In the last two years, I had to play in the first round here against Petra Kvitova, so I found it very hard to believe in that possibility. The truth is, I felt very good in Eastbourne; I was hitting the ball very well on this surface, moving well. I kept telling myself all the time, 'Well, it's nice to play on grass, you can play well.' However, I could never expect to reach the semifinals here. My coach repeated many times in Eastbourne that I could do well on grass, but I didn't believe him; the first few days there were not easy, as I had to adapt after several months competing on clay. Match by match, I started feeling better, until the current moment where I am enjoying the grass."

Donna Vekic in the semifinals

"I think she serves very well, she is a player who fights for every ball, but I am also another one who fights for every ball. I don't know, I feel that I am moving very well on grass. Although I recognize that today the way I played with my forehand helped me a lot. It's a shot that has been working for me throughout the tournament, so I hope everything stays the same against Donna. She is serving very well, so it will be important to return well that day, besides making her run. Here on grass, the keys are usually the same: serve well, return well, and try to control each point."

Adaptation to the surface

"I didn't have to change anything; the only thing you have to adjust to when moving is being careful not to slip. In fact, I remember that I fell in the first match, it's not easy to move on grass, you always have to adjust a bit. Even now towards the end, it's a bit different, with the grass much drier from the baseline. I can say that right now I feel good moving, I also feel much more confident."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, “Mi entrenador me decía que podía jugar bien en hierba, pero yo no le creía”