Jasmine Paolini stands 163 cm, gives up reach to nearly everyone, and waited longer than most for her moment. For a decade she was a steady pro; then 2024, at age 28, changed everything. She won her first WTA 1000 title in Dubai, reached the finals of both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, the first Italian woman in a Wimbledon singles final, and added Olympic doubles gold in Paris with Sara Errani. That October she was world No. 4, a career high.
Speed and a flat, early-taken forehand do the work her height cannot, and the grin does the rest. Of her 4 career titles the sweetest came at Rome in 2025: she beat Coco Gauff for the title on home soil, then took the doubles with Errani, a sweep last managed by Monica Seles in 1990. A rough start to 2026 ended her 101-week run in the top ten, yet she remains the face of an Italian revival, anchor of back-to-back Billie Jean King Cup titles in 2024 and 2025.
Nineteen. That is how many places Diane Parry has climbed in this week's WTA rankings, from 50 to a career-high 31, the biggest move anywhere on the list. The 23-year-old Frenchwoman won the title in Monterrey to get there, moving past her previous career high of 48.
Ranking tale