Italy claim fifth Billie Jean King Cup title with win over Slovakia, capping sparkling season for Jasmine Paolini
It's a first triumph for the Italians in the women's tennis team event since 2013. Paolini and Lucia Bronzetti scored straight-set singles victories in Malaga, Spain.
Tennis
It's a golden year for Italian tennis.
Team Italy claimed the Billie Jean King Cup title on Wednesday (20 November) in Malaga, Spain, with a decisive 2-0 win over surprise finalists Slovakia. Olympic doubles champion Jasmine Paolini sealed the victory after teammate Lucia Bronzetti had put the Italians in the lead in the best-of-three-match format.
Paolini beat Rebecca Sramkova 6-2, 6-1 after Bronzetti's 6-2, 6-4 win over Viktoria Hruncakova.
The triumph marks a fifth Billie Jean King Cup for Italy, having also claimed the title in 2006, 2009, 2010 and most recently in 2013. The Italian squad was runner-ups to Canada last year.
The event, formerly known as Fed Cup, is the premier team competition for women's tennis.
While it's a first Cup win for Paolini and Bronzetti, it marks a fourth for veteran Sara Errani, whom Paolini teamed up with earlier this year to claim the Olympic gold medal in women's doubles at Paris 2024.
Paolini, 28, caps a season to remember in which she finished as runner-up in singles at both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, claimed Olympic gold in doubles and won the biggest title of her career at Dubai (WTA 1000). She finishes as world No.4.
"[An] unbelievable year, a crazy year," a jubilant Paolini said after the win was sealed. "To finish like this, a title in the Billie Jean King Cup; it's amazing. I don't have words to describe it. ... I'm really happy that we could bring the top trophy home."
Italy beat Japan, an Iga Swiatek-led Poland and Slovakia during the Finals week.
Tennis legend Billie Jean King, whom the event is named after, was on hand to witness the week of competition, helping to hand the Cup to the champions upon their victory.
The success adds to a glittering 2024 season for Italian tennis in which Jannik Sinner claimed both the Australian and US Open titles en route to becoming world No.1. He won the ATP Finals in Turin last week, and has joined the Italian men in Malaga at the Davis Cup Finals, where they look to successfully defend their 2023 title.
Italian captain Tathiana Garbin: "They play with their hearts"
While Paolini was a force throughout the week (her only loss was a three-setter to Swiatek), she and Errani, the 37-year-old veteran, paired up twice for deciding doubles wins.
"For me it's amazing," Errani said. "It's been a really good week for us. We've enjoyed every moment. This time, I wasn't very nervous... it was very special to win. I'm really proud of all the team.
She added of their gold in Paris: "My dream was to win the Olympic gold... and now to win [here] and to play for Italy. It was unbelievable."
Italy faced little resistance against Slovakia, who had sprung upsets over USA, Australia and Great Britain to land their susprise spot in the final.
Hruncakova looked like she could turn the tables in the first match, leading Bronzetti by a break after dropping the opener. But the 78th-ranked Bronzetti found her form by rolling off the final four games, putting Italy up 1-0.
It was then up to the Slovakian Sramkova to conjure some of the major she had found en route to the final, including with wins over Danielle Collins, Ajla Tomljanovic and Katie Boulter.
But she was simply out of gas after scoring that win over Boulter and GB on Tuesday (19 November) evening, unable to match Paolini's high energy or strong depth.
A missed return from Sramkova sealed the Cup, as Paolini roared and held her arms out, Team Italy rushing the court.
"It's a dream come true," said captain Tathiana Garbin. "I have such great champions, great players. But mostly good human beings. I'm so proud of them.
"This journey was incredible because I know what they each [go through]... they never give up, they stay focused and keep the goal, keep trying, keep working to be better people and better players," she said.
"They don't play for themselves... they playfor their country. They play with their hearts."