Nadal touch helps Paolini reach French Open third round

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Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 28, 2025 Italy's Jasmine Paolini in action during her second round match against Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

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Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 28, 2025 Italy's Jasmine Paolini shakes hands with Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic after winning her second round match REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

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Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 28, 2025 Italy's Jasmine Paolini reacts during her second round match against Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

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UPDATED May 28, 2025, 07:49 PM

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PARIS - Last year's French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini gave a touch to Rafael Nadal's footprint on Court Phlippe Chatrier before racing into the third round with a 6-3 6-3 victory against Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic on Wednesday.

The Italian fourth seed was barely bothered in a one-sided affair on a gloomy Parisian day as she set up a meeting with Ukrainian lucky loser Yuliia Starodubtseva or Russian Anastasia Potapova.

During the warm-up, Paolini, who is trained by Nadal's former coach Marc Lopez, approached the permanent footprint of the 14-times French Open champion that was installed next to the net on Roland Garros's main court during a ceremony in the Spaniard's honour last Sunday, and gave it a light touch.

"It's hard to play against Ajla, she's very aggressive but I tried to mix it up and play aggressively myself," Paolini said.

"Last year, I played two matches here and a bit at the Olympics, now I'm a bit more used to it (Court Philippe Chatrier).

The diminutive Paolini, who easily handled Tomljanovic's all-in approach, sealed the opening set with a cross-court passing shot after dragging her opponent to the net with a subtle drop shot.

She kept her focus in the second set, wrapping it up in front of a barely half-capacity crowd - a common occurrence for the French Open opening match on the main court. REUTERS

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