Quote of the Day: Jasmine Paolini celebrates Francesca Schiavone's major impact

Jasmine Paolini is keeping the Italian flag flying high in Rome: Out of the 10 that made the main draw at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, she’s the only one who made it past the second round. On Tuesday, she overcame a battle from Diana Schnaider as she recorded a 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-2 victory to reach the semifinals on home soil for the first time.

All the while, the Tuscany native has been loving all the fan support for home favorites at the Foro Italico—buoyed even more by the return of ATP world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who recently got a shoutout from new Pope Leo XIV. Italian tennis is alive, and Paolini is living for it.

Read More: Pope Leo XIV and Jannik Sinner: Love, service and a match made in heaven

“It's crazy. It's really crazy. I really enjoy it,” she said. “Tennis is getting more popular in Italy. That's really great for our sport, for us as athletes and tennis players…

“We are many players now. We really enjoy being in this era of Italian tennis. We are like a team. Everybody is pushing each other.”

At world No. 5, Paolini is leading the Italian charge on the WTA Tour and inspiring a new generation of Italian hopefuls to pick up tennis racquets for themselves. But it wasn’t too long ago that Paolini was the one being inspired, as she reflected one of the biggest moments in Italian women’s tennis history:

Q: Coming up is going to be the 15-year anniversary of Francesca Schiavone winning Roland Garros. Do you have any memories of watching that match?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, I remember that. I was in the tennis club. I remember also her outfit (smiling).

It was amazing to watch the scenes. I was getting emotional even if I was young. It was an unbelievable tournament, great memories…

All the generation of the players before us was unbelievable. They really inspire us, I think.

Schiavone’s win at Roland Garros made her the first woman representing Italy to lift a Grand Slam trophy, a feat only replicated by Flavia Pennetta at the 2015 US Open. With Paolini’s name among the favorites heading into Paris this year, can she become the country’s third major champion?

Paolini, the No. 6 seed in Rome, awaits the winner of Peyton Stearns and Elina Svitolina in the semifinals on Thursday.