Paolini Makes Appearance at YONEX Wuhan Open Signing Event: I Truly Enjoy Being in China

On the afternoon of October 6th Beijing time, Paolini, fresh from her women's doubles victory at the China Open, took part in a signing session at the YONEX booth during the Wuhan Tennis Open. Numerous fans gathered at the booth to buy products and engage closely with Paolini.

As a former top-ten singles player, Paolini has achieved remarkable results over the past two years. Not only did she reach two Grand Slam singles finals last year, but she also claimed two prestigious WTA1000 titles. Additionally, her doubles achievements are noteworthy; holding a Grand Slam title and an Olympic gold medal, she is currently ranked fifth in the world in women's doubles. Reflecting on her recent breakthroughs, Paolini said, "Before last year, I played fewer major tournaments. Now, with more experience, I’m trying to apply that on court this year and hope to perform well in Wuhan."

Paolini first competed in Wuhan last year as the tournament’s third seed, defeating Chinese players Yuan Yue and Erika Andreeva to reach the quarterfinals. This year, seeded seventh, she had a first-round bye and faced Yuan Yue in her opening match — coincidentally, the same player she beat in the second round at Wuhan last year. In the third round, Paolini might face tenth seed Townsend. If she advances to the quarterfinals, matching her best Wuhan result, she could contend with second seed Swiatek for a semifinal spot.

Looking ahead to her performance at Wuhan this year, Paolini said she needs to focus on each match. "Honestly, I always prepare one match at a time, taking it step by step. Every match is tough. The weather in Wuhan is very hot, quite different from Beijing. I want to adapt quickly and better to the environment here before stepping on court."

Reviewing her season, Paolini won the WTA1000 title in Rome, finished runner-up at the WTA1000 Cincinnati event, and reached the semifinals at the WTA1000 Miami Open in singles. In doubles, partnering with Errani, she captured four titles including the French Open and one runner-up finish. Paolini started the China season strongly, leading Italy to successfully defend the Billie Jean King Cup title in Shenzhen with an undefeated record. In Beijing, she won the doubles crown and reached the singles quarterfinals. "I really enjoy being in China; the event organization is excellent, the audience is friendly, and the fans are very enthusiastic," Paolini praised the tournaments and supporters as reasons for her strong performances during the China season.

Currently ranked ninth in the live race to the WTA Finals, Paolini has a strong chance to qualify again for the year-end event in Riyadh. She aims to secure her spot during the Asian swing. Regarding upcoming plans, Paolini said, "I plan to play the WTA500 event in Ningbo after Wuhan, followed by the WTA500 tournament in Tokyo. But right now, I’m only focused on the Wuhan matches."

At the signing event, Paolini also recreated a fun moment captured unexpectedly at the New York tournament, where she was photographed with the YONEX VCORE 100 racquet. Her aggressive "pocket cannon" style requires a racquet that consistently delivers powerful shots, helping her strike the most threatening returns in a flash. Paired with POLYTOUR PRO 120 strings, the VCORE 100’s attacking power is fully unleashed. Speaking about the racquet that has accompanied her on tour, Paolini shared, "I’ve been using this racquet since I was 16 or 17. It’s the best racquet I’ve ever used. I love the sound it makes when hitting and the control it gives me over the ball."

(Text and editing: Dato; Photos: Huang Dishen)