The small Italian town of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana erupted in cheers and tears on October 22, 2025, as tennis star Jasmine Paolini returned to her roots, her 2024 Wimbledon and Roland Garros doubles titles still echoing around the world. Among the adoring crowd in the town square, a 75-year-old baker named Giuseppe Ricci recognized her as the little girl who once shyly asked for a free sandwich decades ago, triggering a wave of nostalgia. Her voice cracked with emotion as she whispered to viewers: “So, she just wanted to touch a sandwich, but today she touched everyone’s hearts,” a moment captured by local journalist Marco Bianchi and widely shared on Instagram, causing searches for “Visit Jasmine Paolini’s hometown” to increase by 350%.
Paolini, the 29-year-old world No. 5 from Tuscany, grew up in this medieval village, where her family’s modest olive farm shaped her grounded spirit despite her $8 million career haul. Giuseppe, a fixture at his Pasticceria Ricci for 50 years, recalled his childhood visits with a smile, noting how he lingered at his counter, eyes wide open in front of the fresh focaccia. The reunion, unplanned and pure, took place as the villagers gathered, their cheers mingling with church bells, a scene that went viral on
The peak of the emotion came when Paolini, moved by the tearful memory of Giuseppe, stepped forward into the square packed with 500 venues under a golden autumn sky. Without a word, she leaned in and kissed the old baker’s scarred cheek, a gesture so tender it silenced the crowd, whose phones flashed to capture the moment. A stunned Giuseppe shook her hand, murmuring: “My little star,” before the tears flowed freely, a video clip reached 2 million views on TikTok by midnight, fueling 300,000 searches for “Jasmine Paolini baker kiss” as the world marveled at her humility.
This wasn’t Paolini’s first homecoming – her 2024 French Open victory with Sara Errani brought a parade here – but the spontaneity of this match made it unique. Giuseppe’s bakery, a stone-walled relic near the Serchio River, had been her childhood refuge, where she swapped stories with him over a slice of ciabatta. Now, with the 2025 season yielding a Rome Masters title and a Fed Cup semifinal, she has returned as a global icon, but her roots shine through, resonating with fans who have flooded her 1.2 million Instagram followers with comments like, “This is why we love you, Jasmine.”
The kiss, broadcast live by RAI Sport during his visit, has become a symbol of Italy’s tight-knit community spirit, contrasting its elite tennis world of $500,000 in checks with Giuseppe’s $1,200 monthly pension. Local historian Anna Moretti told La Nazione: “This moment unites generations: Jasmine’s success honors our past,” a sentiment that sparked a 150% increase in “Castelnuovo di Garfagnana tourism” applications as visitors planned trips to the 12th-century square. The bakery has seen a 40% increase in sales, with tourists queuing for Giuseppe’s signature Tuscan bread, nicknamed “jasmine bread” by cheeky locals.
Paolini’s journey from this rural outpost to Wimbledon Center Court began with a racket given to him by his father, Ugo, a former footballer, and honed by coach Riccardo Piatti. Yet his humility – evident in 2024’s double tears with Errani – shone brightest here, where he hugged Giuseppe’s wife, Maria, and autographed a loaf of bread for his grandson, Luca, 10, who dreams of becoming a baker. “She’s still that girl who loved the heat of my oven,” Giuseppe told Corriere dello Sport, his voice cracking again, a quote that went viral and increased searches for “Jasmine Paolini childhood” by 250% as fans searched for her origin story.
The silence in the square after the kiss lasted a few seconds before the applause broke out, the standing ovation from the elderly who had seen her grow up and from the children waving Italian flags. Mayor Luca Tagliasacchi declared it “a day of pride,” announcing a plaque for Pasticceria Ricci to commemorate the moment, a move that garnered 180,000 X impressions under #JasmineLegacy. Paolini, wiping away a tear, addressed the audience: “Giuseppe taught me more than tennis ever could: gratitude and love,” a phrase that resonated globally, with Serena Williams retweeting it with a heart emoji, increasing its cross-sport appeal.
The media seized on the narrative: BBC Sport called it “tennis’ most moving moment of 2025,” while Vogue Italia called it “a lesson in elegance beyond the court.” The SEO power of the story drove traffic to Garfagnana tourist sites, with hotels reporting a 30% increase in bookings for November as fans planned to follow in Paolini’s footsteps. Giuseppe, overwhelmed, told RAI: ”I never thought my bread would bring her back,” a phrase that aired on newsreels, cementing his bakery’s fame.
Paolini’s 2025 season, marked by a 38-12 record and a rivalry with Iga Swiatek, had already elevated his profile, but this act solidified his legacy. His net worth, bolstered by deals with Head and Rolex, contrasts with Giuseppe’s simplicity, yet their bond, forged on flour-dusted counters, has humanized his rise. Local bakers’ guilds praised her, with the Tuscan Bakers’ Association offering her an honorary membership, a gesture that trended on LinkedIn with 50,000 views, linking narratives of food and sport.
The moment’s impact spread beyond Italy: Junior tennis clinics in the United States cited Paolini’s story to inspire 20 percent more registrations, according to USTA data, while UNESCO deemed Garfagnana a cultural heritage site, citing its cultural resonance. Giuseppe’s bakery became a place of pilgrimage, with fans leaving notes like “Thank you, Jasmine, for showing us your heart,” a trend that increased searches for “Italian baking culture 2025” by 200%. Her next stop, the WTA Finals in Riyadh, looms, but this memory lingers.
As night fell on October 22, Paolini and Giuseppe exchanged a final embrace, the square illuminated by lanterns, a scene imprinted in local tradition. She gave him a signed racket, he gave her a basket of bread, symbols of their shared journey. The world watched, inspired, as questions about “Jasmine Paolini’s emotional comeback” soared, proving that tennis stars shine brightest when they return home.
