Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito delivered the shock of the 2025 Omnium Banque Nationale in Montreal, stunning No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini with a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) victory. Ito clawed her way back from a set and 4-1 down, saved a match point at 5-4 in the second, and sealed the win with a daring SABR-style volley.
It marked her first main-draw win at a WTA 1000 event and her first-ever triumph over a Top 30 opponent. For a player outside the top 100 until recently, this performance was not just a win—it was a statement.
[UPDATE] From Sliced Chaos to Sweet Redemption
Ito’s game is full of surprises. While others hit standard topspins, she combines slow forehand slices with fast winners, pulling opponents into rallies like a spider catching its prey.
When facing Paolini, the plan looked like it was not working well at first. The Italian was in charge of the first set, and Ito struggled in the second.
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But at 5-4, just one point away from being out, Ito took advantage of a mistake and changed everything. Her saves weren’t just about staying alive—they were precise hits. One moment, she tossed it gently; the next, she hit a quick shot from the side.
Each point made things exciting, and before Paolini realised it, Ito was pulling the match into a final set.
INCREDIBLE ITO 🤩
Aoi Ito upsets the No. 7 seed Paolini 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(5)!#OBN25 pic.twitter.com/PdzeJq9nBJ
— wta (@WTA) July 29, 2025
[TRENDING] The Final Set Was Pure Mayhem
The third set resembled a seesaw in a storm. There were eight breaks of serve in twelve games, with both players refusing to blink.
Ito led 3-1, served for it at 6-5, yet couldn’t slam the door. Paolini, battling frustration and a record-setting 67 unforced errors, kept clawing back. Still, Ito remained composed.
In the tiebreak, Ito dared to dream—and dared to attack. On match point, she charged the net Federer-style with a Sneak Attack By Roger (SABR) and volleyed the winner past a stunned Paolini. The crowd roared. A new name had etched itself into Montreal folklore.
[WHAT’S HAPPENING] From Unknown to Unmissable
Ito’s tennis journey began catching fire last October in Osaka with a semifinal run. She followed it up with a WTA 125 title in Canberra and cracked the Top 100 in May.
But this Montreal run feels different. It feels like ignition. Her shot selection borders on art, her demeanor dances between carefree and calculating.
At just 21, she doesn’t just play the game—she reinvents it point by point. She doesn’t care to look conventional. Her playbook? A blend of chess, jazz, and street fight.
Bigyan Samele‘s Commentary
Aoi Ito doesn’t just play tennis—she does it like a form of art. In a world focused on power and speed, she’s taking a different route with style, clever tricks, and fun.
Her work in Montreal was not just a surprise—it showed that creativity can still be very important. Her thinking is as quick as her strong shots. She’s not just a surprise player now—she’s changing the game.
