Paolini gets set for Roland Garros

The Italian has done enough to secure her spot as one of the top forces on the professional circuit

- Shahid Judge

MUMBAI: Jasmine Paolini claims she gets her tendency to smile — constantly — from her mother. On Saturday, she sang, danced, and smiled wider than she had ever before, at a packed Foro Italico in Rome.

With her 6-4, 6-2 win over Coco Gauff in the final, Paolini became the first Italian woman since Raffaella Reggina in 1985 to win the Italian Open title, and the first from the country since the tournament was shifted to the capital. A day later, she became the first since Monica Seles in 1990 to win both the singles and doubles titles at the event.

Her third singles WTA title — second at the 1000 Masters series and first on clay — takes her back to her career high world No. 4 rank. What it should also do is secure her spot as one of the top forces on the professional circuit.

The pocket dynamo from a town in Tuscany was the runner-up at both the French Open and Wimbledon Championships last year. She won gold in the women's doubles event, with Sara Errani, at the Paris Olympics last year and later led Italy to its first Billie Jean King Cup title since 2013.

Yet the late-bloomer has been a largely underrated figure on the tennis tour. One of the easiest reasons to understand why is because the 29-year-old has not won too many tour titles.