The nominees for the 2024 WTA Player Awards were revealed this week, sparking notable controversy, particularly over one decision. The omission of Jasmine Paolini from the shortlist for Most Improved WTA Player in 2024.
Let’s embrace the present and journey peacefully into the past with something special—a drone that can fly through time..
It’s July 2023, and we find ourselves hovering over the vibrant clay courts of the Palermo Ladies Open. Below, the final is unfolding between China’s Qinwen Zheng and Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
The atmosphere is electric as the Italian crowd erupts in cheers, rallying behind their hometown player after she storms back to claim the second set 6-1, leveling the match after Zheng’s commanding first-set win. But the third set shifts dramatically. Paolini, despite her determination, struggles against Zheng’s relentless power and consistency, ultimately losing the set 6-1. It’s a logical outcome—Paolini entered the tournament ranked 52nd, while Zheng, at 26th, stood nearly twice as high on the global stage.
At that moment, our time-traveling drone fast-forwards to October 2023, landing in Tunisia at the Monastir Open. It’s Jasmine Paolini’s second final of the year, where she faces Belgium’s Elise Mertens. The match, however, turns into a one-sided affair as Paolini suffers a heavy defeat, 6-3, 6-0. Despite her determination, the Italian player’s 2023 campaign sees her reach just two finals, crumbling on both occasions.
As we fly back to base, we reflect on her journey. Paolini began the year ranked 62 and closed it at an impressive 30, propelled by strong performances in Montreal and Cincinnati. Yet, while her rise in the rankings showcased her growth, the elusive trophy remained out of reach.
By then, every WTA tennis fan speaks fondly of Jasmine Paolini. She embodies character, grit, and determination, all while lighting up the court with her infectious smiles. What you see from her is exactly what you get—a fighter through and through. Yet, standing at just 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m), comparisons to the likes of Justine Henin always felt out of reach. The consensus was unanimous in 2023: Paolini is good but would never make it to the top. How wrong we all turned out to be!
Controversy Surrounding the 2024 WTA Player Awards and Jasmine Paolini’s Omission
One year later, in 2024, Paolini defied all expectations by triumphing in Dubai, defeating an in-form Elena Rybakina. Her remarkable season didn’t stop there, as she went on to reach two Grand Slam finals at Roland Garros (lost to Iga Swiatek) and Wimbledon (lost to Barbora Krejcikova). Last but not least she helped Italy secure winning the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup’s Title.
Add to that mix her rise to a career-high rank of world number 4, and it becomes undeniable that those selecting the Most Improved Player of the 2024 Season could not have been more deluded. In this case her list of results speaks volumes.
WTA Season 2024 of Jasmine Paolini
| Date | Tournament | Surface | Round | Match | Score | First Serve In | First Serve % Won | Second Serve % Won | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov‑2024 | Riyadh Finals | Hard | RR | Qinwen Zheng (CHN) d. Paolini | 6-1 6-1 | 57.1% | 50.0% | 38.1% | |
| Nov‑2024 | Riyadh Finals | Hard | RR | Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) d. Paolini | 6-3 7-5 | 61.9% | 59.0% | 37.5% | |
| Nov‑2024 | Riyadh Finals | Hard | RR | Paolini d. Elena Rybakina (KAZ) | 7-6(7-5) 6-4 | 58.1% | 70.0% | 55.6% | |
| Oct‑2024 | Wuhan | Hard | QF | Qinwen Zheng (CHN) d. Paolini | 6-2 3-6 6-3 | 70.9% | 63.9% | 40.0% | |
| Oct‑2024 | Wuhan | Hard | R16 | Paolini d. Erika Andreeva (RUS) | 6-3 6-2 | 58.3% | 78.6% | 60.0% | |
| Oct‑2024 | Wuhan | Hard | R32 | Paolini d. Yue Yuan (CHN) | 6-4 6-3 | 67.3% | 73.0% | 38.9% | |
| Sep‑2024 | Beijing | Hard | R32 | Magda Linette (POL) d. Paolini | 6-4 6-0 | 61.4% | 45.7% | 31.8% | |
| Sep‑2024 | Beijing | Hard | R64 | Paolini d. Clara Tauson (DEN) | 1-6 7-5 6-4 | 62.6% | 63.2% | 44.1% | |
| Aug‑2024 | US Open | Hard | R16 | Karolina Muchova (CZE) d. Paolini | 6-3 6-3 | 69.8% | 56.8% | 50.0% | |
| Aug‑2024 | US Open | Hard | R32 | Paolini d. (30)Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) | 6-3 6-4 | 60.9% | 66.7% | 59.3% | |
| Aug‑2024 | US Open | Hard | R64 | Paolini d. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) | RET | ||||
| Aug‑2024 | US Open | Hard | R128 | Paolini d. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) | 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 | 64.1% | 66.7% | 54.1% | |
| Aug‑2024 | Cincinnati | Hard | R16 | Mirra Andreeva (RUS) d. Paolini | 3-6 6-3 6-2 | 63.0% | 56.9% | 47.1% | |
| Aug‑2024 | Cincinnati | Hard | R32 | Paolini d. Anastasia Potapova (RUS) | 7-6(7-2) 6-3 | 57.1% | 70.0% | 53.3% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Paris Olympics | Clay | R16 | Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) d. Paolini | 7-5 3-6 7-5 | 96.9% | 55.3% | 0.0% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Paris Olympics | Clay | R32 | Paolini d. Magda Linette (POL) | 6-4 6-1 | 67.6% | 76.0% | 83.3% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Paris Olympics | Clay | R64 | Paolini d. Ana Bogdan (ROU) | 7-5 6-3 | 75.0% | 70.8% | 43.8% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Wimbledon | Grass | F | Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) d. Paolini | 6-2 2-6 6-4 | 72.9% | 61.3% | 60.9% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Wimbledon | Grass | SF | Paolini d. Donna Vekic (CRO) | 2-6 6-4 7-6(10-8) | 62.8% | 66.7% | 45.8% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Wimbledon | Grass | QF | Paolini d. Emma Navarro (USA) | 6-2 6-1 | 66.7% | 67.6% | 58.8% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Wimbledon | Grass | R16 | Paolini d. Madison Keys (USA) | 6-3 6-7(6) 5-5 RET | 71.6% | 60.3% | 44.8% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Wimbledon | Grass | R32 | Paolini d. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) | 7-6(7-4) 6-1 | 66.1% | 75.7% | 52.6% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Wimbledon | Grass | R64 | Paolini d. Greet Minnen (BEL) | 7-6(7-5) 6-2 | 63.8% | 59.5% | 52.4% | |
| Jul‑2024 | Wimbledon | Grass | R128 | Paolini d. Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) | 7-5 6-3 | 68.9% | 66.7% | 39.1% | |
| Jun‑2024 | Eastbourne | Grass | SF | Daria Kasatkina (RUS) d. Paolini | 3-6 7-5 6-3 | 56.7% | 63.6% | 45.2% | |
| Jun‑2024 | Eastbourne | Grass | QF | Paolini d. Katie Boulter (GBR) | 6-1 7-6(7-0) | 67.2% | 77.8% | 50.0% | |
| Jun‑2024 | Eastbourne | Grass | R16 | Paolini d. Elise Mertens (BEL) | 5-2 RET | 79.2% | 73.7% | 60.0% | |
| May‑2024 | Roland Garros | Clay | SF | Paolini d. Mirra Andreeva (RUS) | 6-3 6-1 | 79.7% | 68.1% | 58.3% | |
| May‑2024 | Roland Garros | Clay | QF | Paolini d. Elena Rybakina (KAZ) | 6-2 4-6 6-4 | 69.9% | 56.9% | 64.3% | |
| May‑2024 | Roland Garros | Clay | R16 | Paolini d. Elina Avanesyan (ARM) | 4-6 6-0 6-1 | 72.9% | 58.1% | 43.5% | |
| May‑2024 | Roland Garros | Clay | R32 | Paolini d. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) | 6-1 3-6 6-0 | 65.5% | 71.1% | 55.0% | |
| May‑2024 | Roland Garros | Clay | R64 | Paolini d. Hailey Baptiste (USA) | 6-4 7-6(8-6) | 62.7% | 63.8% | 50.0% | |
| May‑2024 | Roland Garros | Clay | R128 | Paolini d. Daria Saville (AUS) | 6-3 6-4 | 69.2% | 55.6% | 35.0% | |
| May‑2024 | Rome | Clay | R64 | Mayar Sherif (EGY) d. Paolini | 7-6(7-4) 2-6 6-4 | 72.6% | 53.2% | 48.3% | |
| Apr‑2024 | Madrid | Clay | R16 | Mirra Andreeva (RUS) d. Paolini | 7-6(7-2) 6-4 | 77.3% | 51.0% | 40.0% | |
| Apr‑2024 | Madrid | Clay | R32 | Paolini d. Caroline Garcia (FRA) | 6-3 6-2 | 76.2% | 87.5% | 50.0% | |
| Apr‑2024 | Madrid | Clay | R64 | Paolini d. Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva (AND) | 6-0 6-1 | 85.0% | 70.6% | 50.0% | |
| Apr‑2024 | Stuttgart | Clay | QF | Elena Rybakina (KAZ) d. Paolini | 6-3 5-7 6-3 | 67.3% | 63.2% | 39.4% | |
| Apr‑2024 | Stuttgart | Clay | R16 | Paolini d. Ons Jabeur (TUN) | 7-6(10-8) 6-4 | 70.7% | 70.7% | 45.8% | |
| Apr‑2024 | Stuttgart | Clay | R32 | Paolini d. Sara Errani (ITA) | 6-1 6-0 | 60.6% | 90.0% | 53.8% | |
| Mar‑2024 | Miami | Hard | R32 | Emma Navarro (USA) d. Paolini | 6-2 3-6 6-0 | 62.9% | 53.6% | 36.4% | |
| Mar‑2024 | Miami | Hard | R64 | Paolini d. Katie Volynets (USA) | 7-6(10-8) 7-5 | 62.0% | 71.4% | 50.0% | |
| Mar‑2024 | Indian Wells | Hard | R16 | Anastasia Potapova (RUS) d. Paolini | 7-5 0-6 6-3 | 67.9% | 65.5% | 42.3% | |
| Mar‑2024 | Indian Wells | Hard | R32 | Paolini d. Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) | 6-3 3-6 6-4 | 59.8% | 69.4% | 54.5% | |
| Mar‑2024 | Indian Wells | Hard | R64 | Paolini d. Tatjana Maria (GER) | 6-3 6-3 | 66.1% | 61.5% | 65.0% | |
| Feb‑2024 | Dubai | Hard | F | Paolini d. Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) | 4-6 7-5 7-5 | 68.5% | 60.3% | 55.2% | |
| Feb‑2024 | Dubai | Hard | SF | Paolini d. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) | 6-2 7-6(8-6) | 71.0% | 59.2% | 50.0% | |
| Feb‑2024 | Dubai | Hard | QF | Paolini d. Elena Rybakina (KAZ) | Walkover | ||||
| Feb‑2024 | Dubai | Hard | R16 | Paolini d. Maria Sakkari (GRE) | 6-4 6-2 | 74.5% | 48.8% | 78.6% | |
| Feb‑2024 | Dubai | Hard | R32 | Paolini d. Leylah Fernandez (CAN) | 6-3 6-4 | 76.0% | 59.6% | 38.9% | |
| Feb‑2024 | Dubai | Hard | R64 | Paolini d. Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) | 4-6 6-4 6-0 | 76.9% | 71.7% | 44.4% | |
| Feb‑2024 | Doha | Hard | R64 | Emma Navarro (USA) d. Paolini | 6-3 7-5 | 71.4% | 50.0% | 35.0% | |
| Jan‑2024 | Linz | Hard | R32 | Katie Boulter (GBR) d. Paolini | 6-2 6-2 | 65.4% | 58.8% | 27.8% | |
| Jan‑2024 | Australian Open | Hard | R16 | Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) d. Paolini | 6-4 6-2 | 64.9% | 45.9% | 60.0% | |
| Jan‑2024 | Australian Open | Hard | R32 | Paolini d. Anna Blinkova (RUS) | 7-6(7-1) 6-4 | 82.0% | 68.0% | 45.5% | |
| Jan‑2024 | Australian Open | Hard | R64 | Paolini d. Tatjana Maria (GER) | 6-2 6-3 | 82.8% | 72.9% | 40.0% | |
| Jan‑2024 | Australian Open | Hard | R128 | Paolini d. Diana Shnaider (RUS) | 6-3 6-4 | 69.1% | 68.4% | 47.1% | |
| Jan‑2024 | Adelaide | Hard | R32 | Cristina Bucsa (ESP) d. Paolini | 6-3 6-3 | 57.7% | 53.7% | 33.3% | |
| Jan‑2024 | United Cup | Hard | RR | Caroline Garcia (FRA) d. Paolini | 6-4 5-7 6-4 | 64.8% | 64.9% | 61.3% | |
| Jan‑2024 | United Cup | Hard | RR | Paolini d. Angelique Kerber (GER) | 6-4 7-5 | 66.7% | 56.3% | 50.0% | |