Portugal Colonial - Paolini powers into second week of US Open

Not only has the diminutive dynamo established herself as a second week regular, she reached the final at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, heady runs for a player who had never made it past the second round of a Slam until this year.

"This year has been amazing," she said. "It's something that's crazy if they told me at the beginning of the year before the Australian Open."

Paolini, ranked fifth in the world after finishing 2023 at 30th, said incremental improvements to multiple areas of her game are what account for her rise.

"I think I can serve better, also the return I think I improve that a little bit," Paolini said. "The forehand when I defend as well. I think a lot of parts of the game (have improved) ... also volleys I think are getting better from doubles."

Perhaps more important, each win brings a crucial boost in confidence.

"You see better the game. You take maybe better choices when you are under pressure," she said.

Karolina Muchova, who will face Paolini for a place in the quarter-finals, called the 28-year-old's rise "inspiring."

And sixth-ranked American Jessica Pegula, a late-bloomer herself, said she was delighted to see that something seemed to have "clicked" for the Italian.

"I love seeing players do well later on in their career," Pegula said.

"We get so attached to all the stories of everyone being so young, and if you don't do well right away, then all of a sudden you become like a journeywoman and you become the one that it never really worked out, and all this kind of negative stuff.

"We've seen that kind of change a lot the last few years. I'm kind of one of those people, so I like to see those stories turn out."

F.Cardoso--PC