Jasmine Paolini heads into the French Open at the very top of her game, having just clinched huge success at the Italian Open.
Paolini commiserated with Coco Gauff after winning their Italian Open singles final, where she secured a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
The home favourite then linked up with compatriot Sara Errani the following day to win the Italian Open doubles title in Rome.
Errani and Paolini met Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova on the clay courts of Foro Italico, winning 6-4, 7-5.
The Italian has now risen one spot to fourth in the WTA rankings ahead of the French Open, with three singles and eight doubles titles now won throughout her superb career so far.
Jasmine Paolini deserves huge praise for Italian Open decision
Paolini undoubtedly fed off the Italian Open crowd in Rome en route to both titles, having received huge support throughout the tournament.
But she also deserves huge praise for making the decision to play both singles and doubles, with her appearance in the latter event very likely helping her win the former.
Many players take on doubles in a bid to improve certain aspects of their game that they wouldn’t necessarily be able to do in singles, with Paolini undoubtedly exploring that in Rome.
She did, of course, have a superb doubles player alongside her in Errani, with their chemistry also key to their success.
But rather than finding doubles a hindrance, as many players often have, she used the experience to great advantage.
WTA and ATP players should copy Jasmine Paolini at the French Open
Playing more tennis than required can, of course, work against players, with fatigue and injury real possibilities.
But Paolini seemingly avoided both en route to the two titles, and players across both the WTA and ATP tours would now be wise to make a similar decision at the French Open.
More exposure to clay can only be a positive, with net skills among the key areas that can be improved with doubles tennis.
WTA number six Mirra Andreeva has proven that in recent times, having enjoyed fantastic doubles success alongside Diana Shnaider to go with her stunning singles wins.
That pairing fell to home favourites Paolini and Errani in the semi-finals, with the new and exciting pairing of Alexandra Eala and Coco Gauff having lost to the eventual champions in the quarter-finals.
Like Paolini, Gauff undoubtedly used that experience to her advantage for her singles venture, in which the American lost to the Italian in the final.
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