ROME – Italian tennis player Jasmine Paolini won the WTA 1000 in Dubai, beating Russian Anna Kalinskaya to rise to 14^th in the world rankings.

 Maintaining Italy’s success in the tennis world, Paolini fought back from a first set loss to beat Kalinskaya 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.

 Kalinskaya previously knocked Paolini out of the Australian Open in January.

 Paolini is the third Italian woman to win a WTA and eighth Italian woman to be in the top 15.

 Speaking after her victory, she said was “very happy” and “proud.”

 khg