Jasmine Paolini is an Italian professional tennis player who is playing in the finals of Wimbledon today. She’s following in the footsteps of the great Black female tennis players, like Serena Williams and Althea Gibson.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 13: Jasmine Paolini of Italy plays a backhand against Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia during her Ladies’ Singles Final match during day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 13, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Jacqueline has been blowing up all over social media for her great tennis play, her good looks – and the fact that many of her make fans are calling her “thick”.
Media Take Out did a bit of digging into her background and found that her parents are Igo Paolini and Jacqueline Gardiner.
Her father, Igo, is of Italian descent, while her mother, Jacqueline, is of Ghanaian and Polish descent.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 13: Jasmine Paolini of Italy celebrates as she plays against Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia during her Ladies’ Singles Final match during day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 13, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Her father’s support has been instrumental in Jasmine’s tennis career, providing her with the encouragement and resources needed to pursue professional tennis from a young age.
She told WTA Tennis: “I remember that my father and my mother told me, you have to choose one sport to do.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 13: Jasmine Paolini of Italy looks dejected as she plays against Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia during her Ladies’ Singles Final match during day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 13, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
“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.
Italy’s Jasmine Paolini returns against Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova during their women’s singles final tennis match on the thirteenth day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 13, 2024. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images)
“I enjoyed it a lot ever since I started it.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 13: Jasmine Paolini of Italy plays a forehand against Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia during her Ladies’ Singles Final match during day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 13, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
“I really enjoyed to be at the tennis club. We were like a big family and I had friends there. It was really nice.”
