“I knew the match would be very tough,” Elena Rybakina said after dismantling Jasmine Paolini to storm into her second final of the year at the China Open. Her resurgence this season, capped by the Ningbo Open title, sealed her ticket to the WTA Finals, but fate, it seems, had its own plans for Paolini. Despite falling short in the semifinals, the Italian’s determination didn’t go unrewarded, as she still clinched a spot at the year-end WTA Finals, remarkably escaping the WTA’s punishment that had severely impacted stars like Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

Polish tennis journalist Dominik Senkowski has shed light on a curious twist that shaped the WTA Finals lineup, revealing how Jasmine Paolini edged out Mirra Andreeva for a coveted spot, thanks to a rarely invoked rule. According to Senkowski, the Italian’s exemption from a ranking penalty that struck several top players stemmed from her medical withdrawal earlier in the season, a detail that left fans stunned and stirred heated debate across social media.

On Wednesday, October 29, Senkowski took to X to explain how the WTA clarified the situation directly to him. “Jasmine Paolini was not penalized with points deduction from the ranking – unlike, for example, Świątek or Sabalenka. The Italian played in 5 and not 6 WTA 500 tournaments this year. The WTA informed me that the lack of penalty stems from the fact that Paolini withdrew from Adelaide for medical reasons,” Senkowski wrote (translated from Polish).

The WTA’s regulation states that if a player arrives at a WTA 500 event and then withdraws for medical reasons, but still participates in official promotional duties, she is considered to have fulfilled the tournament commitment. This rule, obscure and often overlooked, became the hinge on which Paolini’s year-end fate turned.

For many, the revelation was both fascinating and infuriating. While Jasmine Paolini’s adherence to the fine print spared her ranking points, other stars were not as fortunate. Both Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek, ranked World No. 1 and 2, were docked points for missing their sixth WTA 500 appearance. Their punishments ignited debates over fairness and consistency, especially as several others, including Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova, also lost ranking points under the same rule.

Senkowski elaborated further, noting that the loophole allowed Paolini to strategically skip the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, the final WTA 500 event of the season. Meanwhile, teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva scrambled to make up points by entering the Tokyo draw but was unable to compete due to visa complications. “Paolini certainly didn’t play recently in Tokyo. If it weren’t for the cited regulation, she could have fought for promotion until the end. The situation is all the more complicated because Andreeva was also supposed to play in Japan, but apparently she didn’t receive a visa,” Senkowski added (translated from Polish).

Elena Rybakina, too, benefited from the unfolding drama. The Kazakh star reached the semifinals in Tokyo, collecting enough ranking points to secure her WTA Finals berth, effectively ending Andreeva’s late surge. 

Now, the Italian is set to step onto tennis’s grandest year-end stage in Riyadh, where she will face World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in her opening group-stage clash. The two have met seven times on the WTA Tour, with Sabalenka holding a 5-2 H2H advantage. Their most recent encounter came in the semifinals of the 2025 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, where Sabalenka triumphed 7-5, 6-4, a match that showcased both power and precision in equal measure.

As the WTA Finals loom, Jasmine Paolini’s journey has come full circle, from an underdog fighting for consistency to a late-season qualifier aided by a rule few even knew existed. Reflecting on her year, Paolini has chosen to focus less on the controversy and more on the opportunity ahead. 

Jasmine Paolini reflects on her biggest challenges this season

It’s been a turbulent 2025 for Jasmine Paolini, a year of lessons, adjustments, and rediscovery. After a breakout 2024 that catapulted her into tennis’s elite, she’s found the climb harder this season, especially on the Grand Slam stage. None of the four majors saw her into the quarterfinals, with three exits coming before the second week. Still, beyond the shadows of those disappointments, Paolini’s fire hasn’t dimmed; her brilliance shone through the WTA 1000s, where she conquered Rome and stormed into the final in Cincinnati.

Reflecting on the season, Paolini didn’t shy away from honesty. Adapting to a new coach has been one of her toughest challenges, and it took time for the rhythm to return. Speaking to Sky, she shared, “I’m happy every time I step on the court. I feel good and I certainly enjoy certain moments, especially when I win. Last season was truly incredible, fantastic. It wasn’t easy to play as well as last year, but I think I managed it, perhaps with less consistency. I won in Rome, which is a dream for Italians.”

For Paolini, the key now is sustaining that momentum. “Being more consistent will be the key to staying at this level,” she admitted.

She reminisced about her early struggles, too. “I remember how difficult it was to break into the top 100. I was around 150, and I did it. First, I was unseeded in the Slams and then I got in. Every time is different,” she reflected, a quiet pride lacing her words.

Change, she says, has been her greatest teacher. “This year, it was hard to change coaches, but at the same time, I feel like I’ve grown a lot,” Paolini said. Growth, after all, is never linear.

And now, as she heads into the WTA Finals, her year-end destination, Paolini’s story feels unfinished. The Grand Slams may not have gone her way, but her resilience burns brighter than ever. With her Rome magic and 1000-level poise, she could yet turn her “hard” year into something unforgettable.