WTA Dubai 2024: Finalist Jasmine Paolini Makes Surprise Admission About Her First Ever Encounter Against Iga Swiatek From 2018

Published 02/23/2024, 12:17 PM EST

Iga Swiatek has been proving to be a tough competitor on the current WTA scene. While the Polish tennis star currently enjoys the stardom of being World No. 1, there was a time when she was just a budding enthusiast like every other athlete, as Jasmine Paolini remembers.

The Italian stunned the fans by securing a position in the finals of the Dubai Tennis Championship. While her opponent was to be decided with a match between Iga Swiatek and Anna Kalinskaya, Paolini recently chuckled as she remembered a time when she didn’t even know who Swiatek was.

Dubai 2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini remembers a time when she didn’t recognize Iga Swiatek

Italian tennis star Jasmine Paolini has secured her spot in the finals of the Dubai Tennis Championship after an amazing victory over Sorana Cirstea. As the world currently has eyes on the match between Iga Swiatek and Anna Kalinskaya to determine her final opponent, Paolini took a moment to remember her first encounter with Swiatek. Admitting a funny reality, she said, “I was like, who is this player?!”

Jasmine Paolini talking about the first time she played Iga Swiatek:
"I was like, who is this player?!" 🤣🤣@TalkingTennisTT pic.twitter.com/DPlN76x4li
— Srihari 🇵🇸 (@srihariravi12) February 23, 2024

While the statement seemed to be funny according to the current situation, it made fans realize Swiatek’s evident rise from being a nobody to her holding the status as the world’s number one player in the WTA rankings.

Back then, Swiatek may not have been a household name, but she managed to rise to the top because of her exceptional talent. Fast forward to the present, Swiatek is currently battling against Anna Kalinskaya and has already lost a set, much to her frustration.

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As the gripping competition continues, it remains to be seen if Swiatek manages to turn the tables or loses an opportunity to face Paolini once again.

Paolini’s consideration of Swiatek’s amazing potential

Besides cracking the joke of not identifying Iga Swiatek during their first showdown back in 2018, Jasmine Paolini also acknowledged the dominant form of the Polish tennis star. In the same interview, she spoke highly of her possible opponent in Dubai, stating, “She is a great player! She is doing unbelievable.”

Moving ahead on her verdict for the World No.1, Paolini also acknowledged Swiatek’s amazing achievement of winning four grand slams on the line along with mentioning that, “She needs no presentation.”

As the tennis star showed a shift in her thoughts from 2018 to the present, it not only was a joke but also acted as the shift in image that Swiatek has performed in the last few years.

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Written by:

Akshay Kapoor, a tennis writer at EssentiallySports, excels in crafting pieces that set new trends. His analytical skills riding on the back of certification in Digital Marketing help inject in-depth research as he covers the business undertakings of Tennis stars. Akshay’s articles touch the entire tennis spectrum, from iconic figures like Djokovic and emerging talents such as Holger Rune and Coco Gauff.

Edited by:

Arunima Bhanot