Jasmine Paolini, one of just two women to reach the fourth round at all four Grand Slam events this year, couldn’t build on her run at the US Open, falling 3-6, 3-6 to Karolina Muchova on Monday in the round of 16.
Muchova is back in the quarterfinals after reaching the semis a year ago in Flushing Meadows. The 28-year-old missed the Australian Open and French Open following surgery on her right wrist.
Paolini had never made it past the second round in any of her 16 Grand Slam appearances before this year. She reached the fourth round in Australia and the final at both the French Open and Wimbledon before winning Olympic gold in Paris in the doubles event.
She ends her breakout season with an incredible 18 matches won at majors – the most an Italian woman has ever compiled in a single year and a massive upgrade on the four she previously collected in her career.
