On Monday, No. 3 seed Iga Swiatek collides with No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini in the Cincinnati Open final, the eighth WTA 1000 battleground of 2025. Paolini, hunting her fourth crown, strides into her ninth career final, her fifth at this elite tier, her fourth on outdoor hard courts (first since Dubai 2024), and her second this year. By storming into Montreal’s final, she has already secured 650 PIF WTA Ranking points and $391,600, yet the grind cuts deep. With triumphs carving both glory and scars, the burning question rises: Who is Paolini’s coach? Let’s dive in to uncover the man behind Italy’s blazing star.

Meet Federico Gaio: Jasmine Paolini’s coach

The path of a champion is rarely smooth, and Paolini’s coaching journey has unfolded like a tale of grit and daring reinvention. Under Renzo Furlan, she carved history, becoming Italy’s first Olympic tennis medalist, before announcing their split.

Jasmine Paolini’s next chapter saw her join hands with Marc López, the former Olympic doubles gold medalist, a move meant to inject new vitality into her rise. Yet the spark faded quickly. Just three months in, their union ended after an early exit at Wimbledon. It wasn’t failure but a statement, Paolini chasing sharper edges, unwilling to settle for less than her best version.

And then came the twist, Federico Gaio. Born in Faenza, Italy, on March 5, 1992, Gaio, a competitor honed on the Challenger tour with several titles and a peak ranking of 124 in 2020, assumed the temporary position in July 2025. The move shocked many, but it carried Paolini’s daring signature. Champions are often forged not under spotlights but in the grind, and with Gaio by her side, her next act looks ready to burn bright.

Meet Renzo Furlan: Jasmine Paolini’s longtime ex-coach

The voices in their corner shape every champion’s journey, and for Paolini, that voice belonged to Renzo Furlan. A former Italian pro who reached a career-high of World No. 19 in 1996, Furlan began guiding Paolini around 2020 after first crossing paths with her back in 2015. Under his watchful eye, Paolini rose into tennis’ brightest spotlight, contesting back-to-back Grand Slam finals, capturing Olympic doubles gold, and helping Furlan earn the coveted title of WTA Coach of the Year in 2024.

Yet, even the strongest bonds can reach their natural close. In March 2025, Paolini and Furlan ended their partnership, a decision announced with dignity but loaded with meaning. Their split marked the end of an era that blended wisdom, resilience, and glory, leaving behind a legacy of trust and triumph that still echoes through Paolini’s meteoric rise.

Jasmine Paolini’s achievements under Federico Gaio and Renzo Furlan

The story of Paolini’s rise is written not just in her strokes but in the guiding hands that shaped her path. At the heart of that journey stood Renzo Furlan, whose calm wisdom carried Paolini to her career-best breakthroughs in 2024. Under his command, she stormed to the French Open singles final, battled into the US Open quarterfinals, and lifted the WTA 1000 Dubai Championships, her biggest title to date. Furlan’s impact was undeniable, crowned by his honor as the Coach of the Year, yet in March 2025, their chapter closed, proving that even golden partnerships can give way to new beginnings.

What followed was turbulence. Jasmine Paolini’s bold switch to Marc López ended abruptly after a Wimbledon stumble, leaving her corner empty once again. Then came the twist: Federico Gaio, a compatriot forged in the Challenger trenches, stepping in as interim coach during the North American hard-court swing. With shared Italian roots and professional grit, Gaio’s arrival was less about glamor and more about grounding, about finding rhythm in the chaos. For Paolini, it signaled not hesitation but instinct, the will to rebuild her fire with a steady hand beside her. 

Now, Paolini stands on the brink of history as the first Italian woman to reach the Cincinnati singles final, but awaiting her is the formidable Iga Swiatek. Along the way, Paolini has already struck down two Grand Slam champions, marking the third time in her career she’s achieved such a feat, after Roland Garros 2024 (Bianca Andreescu and Elena Rybakina) and Rome 2025 (Jelena Ostapenko and Coco Gauff). 

A triumph over Swiatek would be even greater, making it the first time she’s toppled three major winners in a single event. The question burns: can Jasmine Paolini stun the former World No. 1 and lift the trophy right before the US Open?