Italian tennis player Jasmine Paolini was given an unusual good luck charm by a fan following her second-round win at the US Open on Wednesday.
After defeating her compatriot Lucrezia Stefanini 6-4, 6-1 on Court 5, Paolini was interacting with fans when a woman approached her. The fan presented Paolini with a $2 bill, explaining that it was a rare and lucky token.
"I thought it was a nice gift and she told me this was the lucky one," Paolini told the New York Post. "She said 'keep it for yourself.' I was like, okay. I put it in the bag and it [will] stay with me. We'll see if it's going to work."
Paolini held up the bill, which had a message inscribed on it, for cameras with a surprised expression. While $2 bills are not exceptionally rare in the United States, with approximately 1.7 billion in circulation, they are less common than other denominations.
The victory secured Paolini a spot in the third round of the tournament. She has previously reached the Round of 16 at Flushing Meadows in 2024 and was a finalist at both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year. Her next opponent will be 16th-seed Sorana Cîrstea of Romania.