Roland Garros finalist Jasmine Paolini admitted that she never dreamed about being a Grand Slam champion as a kid.
Most tennis players often speak about how they dreamed of winning the biggest events, such as Grand Slams, or becoming number one on their respective Tour when they were kids.
Paolini didn't have those dreams; she was simply enjoying the sport for what it is: a fun game. The more she played, the more she enjoyed it, so she wanted to become a professional player.
However, she never dreamed of winning trophies, especially not Grand Slam trophies, and still, here she is, with a chance to do so on Saturday in Paris.
"When I started to play tennis, I was just enjoying. Yeah, I was not dreaming too much. I was just enjoying playing tennis. Then I started to train like a professional tennis player. I was dreaming to become a professional, and I never dreamed to be, you know, No. 1, Grand Slam champion. Never dreamed so big. Never."
Of course, Paolini didn't grow up in tennis without any dreams, but for her, they were mostly small achievements, which ultimately turned into stepping stones to realizing those huge goals that seemed a lifetime away.
Looking back, she thinks it was a mistake because dreaming is important, as it keeps the motivation high, especially for athletes.
"I think step by step I started to believe, but to dream, but for closer things. You know, not too far. That I think it's not so positive because, you know, I think it's important to dream, but I started to dream I think step by step. Not, you know, too far away. I never dreamed to be I think in a Grand Slam final, and I'm here. I'm so happy."
The challenge is a mammoth one as she'll face Iga Swiatek on a court where she has already won three times and twice in the past two years.
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