Australian Open: Paolini drops just three games against Sasnovich

Jasmine Paolini began her quest for a maiden Grand Slam title with a clinical 6-1, 6-2 victory over Aliaksandra Sasnovich on Rod Laver Arena, but the world number seven later admitted that the serene scoreline belied a morning filled with pre-match anxiety.

The Italian, who reached her first Grand Slam fourth round in Melbourne in 2024, has since established herself as a permanent fixture in the top ten, reaching finals at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon. However, the pressure of opening the tournament on the sport’s biggest stage weighed heavily on her until a moment of self-reflection changed her perspective.

“Sometimes it’s tough,” Paolini said when asked by Andrea Petkovic how she maintains her trademark joy under Grand Slam pressure. “Today in the morning it was a tough day. Then I said to myself, ‘Look, you didn’t smile since you got up. So smile a little bit. If not, you step on court and you play bad.’ For me it’s important to enjoy my tennis and to be on court playing matches. Sometimes I force myself to smile more.”

“It’s the first match of the tournament on Rod Laver, so…”

The mental recalibration worked instantly. Paolini moved with the freedom and intensity that have defined her rise over the last two seasons, surrendering just three games to the Belarusian qualifier. The victory marked her eighth consecutive first-round win at a major, a streak that began at the start of her breakout 2024 season.

“When I saw the schedule I was like, okay, if I’m gonna lose… it’s the first match of the tournament on Rod Laver, so it’s gonna be bad,” Paolini said of her nerves regarding the marquee slot. “But I won. It’s Sunday. I can enjoy the day. It’s great.”

Having successfully navigated her third Australian Open second-round appearance, Paolini now turns her attention to the round of 64. She will face Poland’s Magdalena Frech or Veronika Erjavec.