WTA Finals star 'taken ill' hours before opening match in huge blow

Jasmine Paolini has been "taken ill" less than 24 hours before her opening match at the WTA Finals. The Italian star has qualified for the season-ending championships in both singles and doubles this year. Alongside her partner, Sara Errani, Paolini is set to open play in Riyadh on Saturday.

But it has now emerged that the world No. 8 was unable to complete her media commitments on Friday after becoming unwell towards the end of her practice session. Paolini has now been advised to rest, but there isn't much time to recover before her first doubles match.

It was media day at the WTA Finals on Friday, but Paolini and Errani weren't able to speak to reporters once the 29-year-old became unwell.

Speaking on Sky Sports after interviewing players in the singles and doubles draws, presenter Gigi Salmon explained: "I managed to speak to 22 out of a possible 24 players.

"The two players missing were the Italians and the top seeds in the doubles, the Roland Garros champions, Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.

"That's because Paolini was taken ill at the end of her practice earlier today, and the tournament director recommended that she take it easy, doesn't do any media interviews today, and just rest.

"We hope it's a speedy recovery, we wish her well, because she is actually, with Sara Errani, the first match up tomorrow as we get things underway."

Olympic gold medallists Errani and Paolini are due to face No. 8 seeds Asia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs in the first match of the tournament on Saturday at 3.30pm local time (12.30pm UK).

Paolini is then set to take on world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the second match of the day on Sunday. They have been drawn in the 'Steffi Graf' group alongside Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula for round-robin matches.

Sabalenka has not played a match since losing in the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open earlier this month, but she has turned to Novak Djokovic for some advice ahead of the year-end Finals.

Explaining what she had learned, the four-time Major winner said: "How to stay settled and how to look at everything as you're looking from the outside on the situation on the court, off the court.

"Just to, like, be able to sit back and look at everything. Kind of like it's not you looking, it's someone else looking at your situation. I think that's the best lesson that you could take from Novak."

Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, and Madison Keys have been drawn in the 'Serena Williams' group.