Rome, May 7 (IANS) Defending champion Jasmine Paolini survived a turbulent opening-round test at the Italian Open on Thursday, battling past qualifier Leolia Jeanjean 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 in a gripping contest that lasted two hours and 55 minutes.

The Italian, seeded ninth, endured an error-strewn display in front of her home crowd, finishing with 57 unforced errors despite producing 54 winners. Her performance fluctuated wildly throughout the match, leaving spectators alternately inspired and frustrated as they watched her attempt to carry their top-ranked home player into the third round.

“I was a little bit nervous. A lot of ups and downs. She played a great match. Was a tough one, but I’m happy I stayed there and managed to come back after the tough first set,” Paolini said in her press conference.

Paolini repeatedly threatened to seize control early on, breaking Jeanjean three times in the opening set and even serving for it at 5-3. However, the French qualifier responded immediately on each occasion, refusing to allow the defending champion any rhythm. Paolini mixed sharp backhand winners and delicate touch at the net with costly mistakes, and her inability to sustain momentum proved decisive in the tiebreak as Jeanjean raised her level aggressively to steal the set.

Despite her inconsistency, Paolini’s resilience ultimately proved decisive. The match featured several extended, multi-deuce battles, with the Italian prevailing in all the crucial moments. She surged ahead in the second set before producing the key breakthrough at 4-3 in the decider after an exhausting seven-deuce game on Jeanjean’s serve.

“I try to repeat myself, ‘Go for the point, go for the shot. To try to be aggressive, but at the same time, with a bit of patience. It wasn’t easy because in that long game, 3-3, when I had an advantage, she was serving well,” Paolini recalled.

The victory offers a much-needed boost for Paolini, whose 2026 season has fallen short of the standards she set over the previous two years. She arrived in Rome with an 11-9 record for the year, without a win over a Top 40 opponent and carrying several defeats to lower-ranked players. Still, the Italian remained optimistic afterwards, drawing comparisons to last year’s title run, which also featured difficult moments.

“This match was a bit of ups and downs, for sure. But I remember last year, I mean, also a lot of ups and downs during the tournament. Of course, the first round went better than this. Was another story, another year. I’m here. I practised well last week. I was feeling great before the tournament. I’m happy that I have another chance to play another match here in Rome,” she said.

Paolini will next face 21st seed Elise Mertens in the third round.

–IANS

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