World No. 8 Jasmine Paolini needed all her patience and plenty of clay-court grit to get past qualifier Leolia Jeanjean in the WTA 1000 Rome Round of 64. The Italian won 6-7(4) 6-2 6-4 on Stadio Centrale, wrapping up a near three-hour contest and moving into the Round of 32.

Set-by-set on red clay

Paolini dropped a tight opening set in a tiebreak, 6-7(4), after both players held firm in key service games. The response was immediate. She accelerated through the second set 6-2, finding more first-strike rhythm and cleaner depth. The decider stayed close, but Paolini earned the late break she needed and closed it out 6-4.

Seed versus qualifier context

This was the No. 9 seed against a dangerous opponent coming from qualifying, and Jeanjean, ranked No. 121, showed exactly why the draw can be tricky. The Frenchwoman handled the moment well in the first set and kept pressure on throughout. For Paolini, it was also about managing the occasion. Playing in Italy on Rome’s red clay, she steadied when it mattered.

Match tempo and small margins

The first set lasted roughly 68 minutes, the second 44, and the third about 64, for a total near 2 hours 55 minutes. Across the three sets, Paolini won 18 games to Jeanjean’s 13. The numbers tell a simple story. After a narrow start decided by a 7-4 tiebreak, Paolini took control of the middle set and protected her lead in a tight finish.

What it means for Paolini

The win sends Paolini into the Round of 32 at the WTA 1000 Rome. It is a solid clay opener for the Italian No. 9 seed in a draw that can get physical fast. Fans followed the score and momentum swings on Sofascore, where live tennis scores and match details make long three-setters easy to track.