Jasmine Paolini dominated in her Merida debut on Thursday, as the top seed ousted Priscilla Hon 6-0, 6-2 in just 71 minutes to reach the WTA 500’s quarterfinals.
Paolini won 12 of 14 games against Hon, entering the tournament as a late wild card looking to build momentum after recent struggles. The world No. 7 lost both her Middle East swing opening matches and carried a 3-7 record over her last 10 matches.
The Italian found her form quickly, winning the first point on a net cord that dropped onto Hon’s side. She held serve, then broke the Australian for a 2-0 lead, going on to reel off eight straight games to open the match.
Hon broke early in the second set to make it 2-1. However, Paolini answered back, winning four of the final five games to close out the victory.
“Tournaments in Mexico are always nice, organized, and the crowds are really passionate,” the 30-year-old said postmatch. “I’m happy to be back in Mexico and the first time in Merida.”
Paolini played disciplined tennis throughout, winning 90% of her second-serve points and converting nine of 10 opportunities. For her part, Hon struggled, landing just 43% of her first serves and winning just 22% of the second-serve points.
What’s next for Jasmine Paolini in Merida
The victory marks Paolini’s first quarterfinal since her 2025 semifinal run in Ningbo. She now faces England’s Katie Boulter in the Merida quarterfinals, with Paolini leading the pair’s all-time head-to-head record 3-2.
Paolini and Boulter take the court on Friday at 8:10 PM ET, live on The Tennis Channel.
