Jasmine Paolini reacts during a third-round match against Jaqueline Cristian on Stadium 1 during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., on Monday, March 10, 2025.

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Jasmine Paolini Unlocks Unique Italian Open Feat, Joins Monica Seles In History Books!

Paolini makes history with singles and doubles sweep at Rome, matching feats last seen in 1990.

Jasmine Paolini reacts during a third-round match against Jaqueline Cristian on Stadium 1 during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., on Monday, March 10, 2025.

World No. 5 Jasmine Paolini made history in Rome, winning both the singles and doubles tennis titles at the 2025 Italian Open. A rare feat achieved after more than three decades, when Monica Seles, 9-time Grand Slam champion, did it in 1990.

Paolini stunned Coco Gauff in straight sets to win her third career title and second at the WTA 1000 level, becoming only the second Italian woman in the Open Era to win the Italian Open after Raffaella Reggi in 1985, and the first since it became a WTA 1000 event.

She then defended her doubles title with Sara Errani, defeating Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova, making her the first Italian woman since Reggi and the first woman overall since Monica Seles in 1990 to win both singles and doubles titles at Rome in the same year.

Paolini Creates History in Rome

Paolini, 29, also became the oldest Open Era first-time champion at Rome. Her opponent, Gauff, 21, had a chance to become the youngest since Serena Williams in 2002, but 55 unforced errors and seven double faults derailed her chances.

Paolini, emotional after the final, shared, “It doesn’t seem real to me. I came here as a kid to see this tournament, but winning it and holding up this trophy wasn’t even in my dreams. The crowd has been incredible. It’s been two incredible weeks, and it’s not finished yet.”

Queen of Rome 👑🇮🇹@JasminePaolini captures the Rome title with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Gauff!#IBI25 pic.twitter.com/MQ9Ap3edwp
— wta (@WTA) May 17, 2025

Also Read: Jasmine Paolini Reigns Supreme in Rome and Wins Italian Open 2025 Title vs Coco Gauff

More Than Rome: The Rise of the Italian Star

Paolini’s breakthrough came in the 2024 season when she clinched the Dubai title, her first WTA 1000-level crown. That same year, she reached the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon, falling to Iga Swiatek and Barbora Krejcikova, respectively.

On the doubles court, Paolini enjoyed a stellar season alongside Sara Errani, winning titles at the Linz Open, Italian Open, and China Open. She also captured Olympic gold for Italy in doubles at Paris and climbed to a career-high world No. 4 in October 2024, tying Francesca Schiavone as the highest-ranked Italian woman in tennis history.

🏆🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/fKGBswxnyA
— Jasmine Paolini (@JasminePaolini) May 17, 2025

Her 2025 Rome title followed strong runs in Miami and Stuttgart, where she reached back-to-back semifinals before falling to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on both occasions. Although she suffered an early Round of 32 exit in Madrid, Paolini’s historic home win was fueled by form, momentum, and relentless determination. The crowd’s support added to the moment, but it was her grit that truly carried her to glory.

Jasmine Paolini

Rudra Dubey

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I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.