Jasmine Paolini is on the hunt for a 'legendary selfie' with Rafael Nadal in Malaga. She has already achieved a Top 5 WTA ranking and won an Olympic gold medal in doubles.
What's at stake?
Paolini has been trying to get a photo with Nadal since the Paris Olympics, where she won a gold medal in doubles with Sara Errani.
The pursuit continues
In Malaga, Paolini is leading the Italian Billie Jean King Cup team, while Nadal competes with Spain in his final career tournament.
Paolini rewarded herself with a front-row seat to one of Nadal's practices and snuck a snapshot from the entrance to the court.
A glimpse of Nadal
The 22-time major champion can be seen in the background of Paolini's photo, which she shared on Instagram with the caption "Step by step, getting closer to that legendary selfie with Rafa… but not done yet!"
Paolini and the Italian team will face Poland in the semifinals on Monday, with world No. 2 Iga Swiatek leading the Polish team.
The next challenge
Paolini steered the Italians to a 2-1 comeback victory against Japan in the quarterfinals, thanks to a win against Moyuka Uchijima and a doubles clinch with Errani.
The Italian's dogged determination has been a highlight of her ascent to stardom in 2024, and it's safe to say she's applying the same qualities towards completing her scrapbook.
Paolini has already taken photos with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer at previous Olympics, and now she's focused on getting that perfect shot with Nadal.
The Billie Jean King Cup Finals are being held at the Martin Carpena Arena in Malaga, with the combined tournament featuring the best teams from around the world.
Paolini's quest for a selfie with Nadal began at the Paris Olympics, and she's not giving up yet, with the Spanish legend set to retire after the tournament.