Twenty-eight-year-old Ghanaian-Italian tennis player Jasmine Paolini missed out on her first Grand Slam title after losing to Iga Swiatek in the 2024 French Open Final. Paolini was defeated in straight sets (6-2, 6-1) by the world number one seed, Swiatek, at Roland Garros, concluding a remarkable run that saw her reach her first-ever Grand Slam final.

Poland’s Swiatek secured her fourth French Open Singles title and fifth Grand Slam overall with this victory. She has now won the French Open three years in a row. Paolini’s Ghanaian heritage comes from her maternal grandfather, while she also has Polish and Danish roots.

During her impressive journey to the final, Paolini defeated former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and fourth seed Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. This achievement caps an outstanding 2024 for Paolini, who also won the Dubai Tennis Championship and the Italian Open in the Doubles event earlier in the year.

After missing out on the French Open Singles title, Paolini and her partner Sara Errani lost the Doubles final to American Coco Gauff and Czech Katerina Siniakova.

4o