MusaFor Jasmine Paolini, it was the kind of match that haunts you long after the last point has been played. Up three match points against a gritty, resurgent Elina Svitolina, the Italian found herself on the brink of one of the biggest wins of her career—only to see it slip through her fingers in excruciating fashion. After the loss, Paolini didn’t hold back, admitting to deep regrets and frustration over what could have been.
“It hurts,” Paolini confessed in her post-match interview. “I had my chances and I didn’t take them. That’s something I’ll be thinking about for a while.”
And who could blame her? The match had everything: momentum swings, long rallies, high-stakes nerves—and at its heart, a player desperately trying to take that next step in her career. Paolini had Svitolina on the ropes, serving for the match, even holding triple match point at one stage. But under pressure, her forehand tightened, the serve wavered, and Svitolina, as she has done so many times before, clawed her way back.
It was a vintage performance from the Ukrainian, who showed her trademark resilience and ice-cold nerve when it mattered most. But the spotlight, and heartbreak, belong to Paolini this time.
Regret is a cruel teacher in tennis, and Paolini knows it. She spoke candidly about her mental lapse during the closing stages and the “what-ifs” that would undoubtedly follow her. “I need to learn from this,” she said. “It’s painful now, but I hope I can come back stronger.”
The silver lining? Paolini’s level for most of the match was top-tier. She proved she can hang with the best, even outplay them. But at this level, the margins are razor-thin, and closing is an art form in itself.
This loss will sting for a while—but if Paolini channels it right, it could be the fire that fuels her future success. Sometimes, rock bottom is just the beginning of the climb.
Musa
dam
