"My father and mother told me to choose one sport" - How Jasmine Paolini's parents made her pick up a tennis racket at the age of 5

Jasmine Paolini's initial rise on the WTA Tour was slow and steady. However, she shifted gears this season and made a swift ascent to be ranked amongst the world's best on the women's circuit.

The 28-year-old Italian is finally having her moment under the sun after years of hard work. Her perseverance and lifelong passion for tennis is finally paying off, and this seems like the beginning of a new chapter in her career. However, her foray into the sport can be traced back to more than two decades.

Paolini previously spoke to the WTA about how she got into tennis as a five-year-old. Her native hometown in Italy had limited choices for young kids as tennis and swimming were the only picks.

Her parents made her choose one sport, and since her uncle was already playing tennis at the local club, she decided to go along with it as well. The rest is history as she is still living out her childhood dream.

"I remember that my father and my mother told me, you have to choose one sport to do. In Bagni Di Lucca there was all tennis or a swimming pool and because of my uncle who was playing tennis, I decided to go to play," - Jasmine Paolini on how she got into tennis.

The Italian fell in love with the sport instantly, and enjoyed spending time at the club. She got along well with everyone, and the camaraderie made it feel like they were all part of one big family.

"I enjoyed it a lot ever since I started it. I really enjoyed to be at the tennis club. We were like a big family and I had friends there. It was really nice," - Paolini's experience while playing tennis as a kid.

Paolini's parents Ugo and Jacqueline have always been supportive of her choices. She has a multi-ethnic background as her father is Italian, while her mother is of Polish and Ghanaian descent. She isn't the only tennis pro in the family either as her brother, William, also plays the sport, and is looking to follow in the footsteps of his sister.

Paolini's father and uncle played a huge role in shaping up her tennis career as they mentored her during her youth. She trained at the Mirafiume Tennis Club in Bagni di Lucca, in Tuscany, until she was 15 years old. She then moved to Tirrenia, situated on the outskirts of Pisa, to continue her training there.

Now, with the backing of her family, Paolini is on the verge of achieving further greatness. With the loss of compatriot and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner on the men's side, it's up to her and Lorenzo Musetti to make Italy proud.

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Jasmine Paolini is gunning for a maiden Major title in an incredible breakthrough season

Jasmine Paolini at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. (Photo: Getty)

Jasmine Paolini's rise to the top of the women's game has been one of the season's most engaging stories. She captured her maiden WTA 1000 title at the Dubai Tennis Championships, and won another title at that level at the Italian Open, albeit in doubles.

Paolini then reached her maiden Grand Slam final in singles as well as doubles at the French Open. However, she came up short in both, going down to Iga Swiatek in singles, and losing to Katerina Siniakova and Coco Gauff in doubles with her partner Sara Errani.

The 28-year old has continued her good run of form at Wimbledon, where her showing has guaranteed her a top-5 debut in next week's WTA rankings. She is the first woman from Italy to reach the final at the All England Club in singles.

Additionally, Paolini is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the final of the French Open, and follow it up with a final at Wimbledon.

Should Paolini advance win, it could end Italy's long wait of a female Major champion in singles. Flavia Pennetta was the most recent woman from the nation to triumph at a Grand Slam when she beat fellow countrywoman Roberta Vinci to win the 2015 US Open.

Francesca Schiavone scripted history when she became the first woman from Italy to win a Major title in singles. Her breakthrough moment came at the 2010 French Open. With Wimbledon being considered the most prestigious Major, Paolini's victory would solidify her status as one of the best players in the game, as well as from Italy.