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Jasmine Paolini has been flying Italy’s tricolore high on the WTA Tour — and now, she’ll carry it in a whole new way. Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, the Italian tennis star will serve as a torchbearer for the Milano-Cortina Games, proudly representing her home country on the biggest stage once again. Paolini shared her excitement this week, saying she was “proud” to be chosen through Coca-Cola, a joint sponsor of the Olympics. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jasmine Paolini (@jasmine_paolini) The torch relay begins Dec. 6 in Rome, after the flame is lit in Olympia, Greece on Nov. 26, and will travel more than 12,000 kilometers across 110 provinces and 60 cities before reaching San Siro Stadium in Milan for the Feb. 6 opening ceremony. A Champion for Italy For Paolini, the honor feels like a natural next step. Over the past three years, she’s become one of Italy’s most beloved athletes — winning Olympic gold in doubles with Sara Errani at Paris 2024 and leading her country to back-to-back Billie Jean King Cup titles. Her performance this fall in Shenzhen was the stuff of legend — battling from behind to beat Jessica Pegula, Wang Xinyu, and Elina Svitolina, before sealing Italy’s sixth BJK Cup crown in doubles alongside Errani. “Playing for the national team is something I dreamed of,” Paolini said after that win. “Every time, it’s an honor to represent Italy.”
