After 10 `amazing years` working together, Jasmine Paolini and coach Renzo Furlan are going their separate ways. World No. 6 Paolini announced in a post on her social media channels on Monday in both English and Italian that she is no longer working with the 2024 WTA Coach of the Year.
`Renzo has been such an important part of my growth, both as a player and as a person,` Paolini wrote on Instagram about the former ATP World No. 19, with whom she first connected with in 2015. `Everything I’ve learned from him will stay with me and continue to guide me in this new chapter, he’ll always be an important person in my life.`
Furlan committed to Paolini full-time beginning in 2020 after his contract as president of the Serbian tennis federation ended, and the 54-year-old was voted as the top coach on the Hologic WTA Tour last year for his role in guiding Paolini, who began the season ranked outside the Top 30, to a career-high World No. 4 ranking and two Grand Slam singles finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Paolini also won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics with partner Sara Errani, qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF for the first time in both singles and doubles, and led Italy to its first Billie Jean King Cup title in more than a decade in November.
Paolini`s announcement came just days after she reached the semifinals of the WTA 1000-level Miami Open, where she lost to eventual champion and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Miami marked the first time that the 29-year-old won more than two matches at one tournament this year, as she is 12-6 on the singles court so far in 2025.
`I’m truly grateful for the time, energy, and sacrifices he’s made for me, often far from home and his family,` Paolini added. `I have so much respect and appreciation for him. For his professionalism, his passion, and the values he’s passed on to me over all these years.`
Rupert Caldwell