Jasmine Paolini's new coach changes training to handle Aryna Sabalenka's power

The 29-year-old Italian, currently ranked world No. 8, enjoyed a breakthrough 2024 campaign highlighted by a run to the Wimbledon final.

However, Paolini and her team have identified the need for further tactical and technical improvements to challenge elite opponents such as Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova on a more consistent basis.

"In these weeks of work, we've focused on her serve, return, and rhythm variations, a tool that could be very useful against players with very heavy balls like Sabalenka and Anisimova. It will be crucial to always keep her focused on motivation and improvement," the Italian coach told Ubitennis.

Pizzorno arrives with solid credentials, having spent four years coaching Liudmila Samsonova, now ranked world No. 17, before their partnership ended in late 2025.

His stated objective is to refine specific areas of Paolini's game to improve her effectiveness against the game's most powerful and aggressive players.

Paolini's coaching situation has seen significant change over the past year. After working with Renzo Furlan for approximately a decade, she parted ways with her long-time mentor in March.

Marc Lopez, formerly part of Rafael Nadal's coaching team, was brought in as a replacement, but that collaboration concluded in July.

The challenge ahead is clear in the statistics. Paolini holds a 2-6 head-to-head record against world No. 1 Sabalenka, with her two victories coming at the 2017 ITF Ilkley event and Indian Wells in 2022, while losing their last five meetings.

Against American world No. 4 Anisimova, she is 0-2, with defeats in Parma in 2021 and Beijing in 2025. 

READ MORE: Nick Kyrgios tops Aryna Sabalenka as 'Battle of the Sexes' draws mixed reactions